Guj: Dalit man beaten up, MLA threatens state bandh

A 30-year-old Dalit man was thrashed allegedly by four men from an OBC community on late Sunday night in Sabarmati area of Ahmedabad in Gujarat on a petty issue, police said on Monday.

As per the complaint filed with the police, Pragnesh Parmar was hit by Mahesh Thakor, Jogi Thakor and two others when he went to Mahesh's eatery for dinner and accidentally dropped a dish, said Inspector RH Vala of Sabarmati police station.

The matter escalated on Monday with Dalit leader and Independent MLA Jignesh Mevani threatening a "Gujarat bandh" if the accused were not arrested within 24 hours.

"When Parmar accidentally dropped a dish while eating on Sunday night, the accused first scolded and abused Parmar and his friend and beat him up. He has been hospitalised," said Vala.

Vala said a case of attempt to murder has been lodged against Mahesh Thakor and three others and provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have been invoked.

Mahesh Thakor has been arrested while efforts were on to nab the other three, he added.

In a tweet with a video purportedly of the incident, Mevani said, "I will declare a Gujarat bandh if the police do not arrest the perpetrators in 24 hours who attempted lynching of two Dalit youth in Ahmedabad yesterday night"

"Don't think Dalits are cowards: we believe in Constitution!" Mevani's tweet further said.