Weddings of Dalit sisters called off after men assault brides, smear mud on their faces over minor accident in Mathura

Mathura: A minor traffic accident in the Refinery area of this Uttar Pradesh district escalated into a violent clash, leading to the wedding ceremonies of two sisters from a Dalit family being called off and injuries to several guests.

Police said the two sisters, accompanied by their relatives, were returning from the beauty parlour when their car brushed a motorcycle on Friday.

Following this, Karnawal village residents Lokesh, Rohtash and Satish -- who were on the motorcycle -- started an argument with the car's passengers. The three men allegedly pulled the women out from the car, assaulted them, and smeared mud on their faces.

When the brides' family members learned of the attack, they rushed to the spot with some of the 'baraatis'. The suspected attackers, in turn, also called their relatives.

In the ensuing clash, several people were injured, including the brides' father who suffered a head injury.

The violence continued at the wedding venue when Satish and some others arrived in a tractor-trolley and rammed into two vehicles. They then allegedly assaulted the guests who tried to intervene.

Despite police intervention and attempts at mediation, the grooms refused to proceed with the weddings.

A case has been registered against 15 named individuals and several unidentified others under charges such as rioting, assault with deadly weapons, hostage-taking, robbery, attempted murder, property damage, and using casteist slurs, the police said.

Five people, including Rohtash, have been arrested, and raids are underway to apprehend the remaining suspects, they said.

"Peace and order have been restored in the village and police force has been deployed as a precautionary measure," said Mathura City Additional Superintendent of Police Dr Arvind Kumar.