UP tonsuring row: Tension in Etawah, stone pelting on cops, 20 detained

Etawah/Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh: Days after the alleged caste-based tonsuring of a Bhagwat Katha preacher and his aide in Etawah's Dandarpur village, tensions escalated on Thursday as members of Yadav groups staged protests demanding the arrest of all accused and withdrawal of the case registered against the victims.

According to police, large crowds began gathering near the Agra-Kanpur highway and at the village in the Bakewar area in the afternoon.

Purported videos showed unidentified persons pelting police personnel with stones even as the latter brandished firearms in the air to warn the protesters on a narrow village road.

In Lucknow, UP minister Jaiveer Singh accused Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav of giving the tonsuring incident a "casteist spin" and blamed him for stoking the violence.

Etawah Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Brijesh Kumar Srivastava said, "Information was received via social media that some groups were preparing to protest against the incident that occurred in Dandarpur village three days ago. Accordingly, police deployment was made in the town, on the highway and in the village to ensure law and order."

"Around 1:30 pm, a sizeable crowd started gathering on the Agra-Kanpur highway. While most were convinced to disperse, a few tried to enter Dandarpur village forcibly, which created a situation that could have disrupted peace," he said.

SSP Srivastava confirmed that 19 individuals were detained, and 13 vehicles were seized. "Necessary legal action is being taken under relevant sections. Law and order are under control, and the situation is normal," he added.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of members from Yadav groups reached Bakewar police station to gherao it in protest against alleged police action against the victims and to demand the arrest of the accused.

SP (Rural) Sreesh Chandra told reporters that police attempted to stop the advancing crowd, but a heated exchange followed. When protesters continued pushing forward, police used lathis to disperse them.

The crowd reportedly retaliated by throwing stones at police personnel, damaging the windshield of a police jeep. Some protesters fled towards the Agra-Kanpur highway.

The incident that triggered the unrest took place on the night of June 22-23 in the village. Two Bhagwat Katha preachers, Mukut Mani Yadav and his aide Sant Singh Yadav, were allegedly tonsured and humiliated by "upper-caste" men after it was found that they belonged to the Yadav caste.

A video of the incident, which went viral on social media and was also shared by the SP chief, showed the accused purportedly saying, "You are getting punished for coming to the village of Brahmins."

The victims alleged they were interrogated about their caste, forced to show identification and subjected to humiliation. "I was tortured all night. My head was shaved, and they sprinkled urine on me, saying it was to purify me," said Sant Singh Yadav.

Following the video's circulation, four accused — Ashish Tiwari, Uttam Kumar Awasthi, Nikki Awasthi and Manu Dubey — all residents of the village, were arrested and booked.

Akhilesh condemned the incident, calling it a gross violation of constitutional values and warned of a large-scale movement if action was not taken within three days.

In response to Etawah violence, Singh in the evening emphasised the administration's swift response and affirmed the government's commitment to take strict measures moving forward.

Based on the initial probe, four individuals were arrested, followed by the detention of 15 more people involved in the violence perpetrated by local miscreants, the minister said.

"The incident appears to be the result of a well-planned conspiracy, and the government is determined to uncover the truth and take strict action against those responsible," Singh said.

He assured that anyone taking the law into their own hands, regardless of caste or community, will not be spared.

Accusing Akhilesh of giving the incident a "casteist angle," the minister said the former UP CM, without verifying the facts, made reckless statements which incited violence.

"It has always been the SP's strategy to divide society along caste and class lines for political gain. This is condemnable and unacceptable," Singh said.

He added that the BJP respects Sanatan culture, not casteism.