In a shocking incident, four youths from the Dalit community were allegedly semi-stripped, peed on, and made to lick boots in a Maharashtra village over suspicion of goats and pigeons’ theft. They were later hung upside down from a tree and beaten up black and blue. The victims also included two minors.

The incident took place in a village in Ahmednagar district last week following which the police have registered a case against six persons under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and also under IPC sections for attempt to murder and kidnapping among others.

“Six persons, including two from an upper caste community and two from a Scheduled Caste (SC) community, have been booked under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act as well as under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections for attempt to murder, kidnapping, wrongful restraint, and rioting, police said.

“The accused suspected that the four youths had committed the theft of some domesticated pigeons and goats. Probe suggests that they dragged the victims out of their homes and took them to a farm where their shirts were removed and hands and legs were tied before tying them upside down from a tree and thrashing them,” said the Ahmednagar police in a statement.

Reacting to the incident, Prakash Ambedkar, President of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), said that the incident was a clear case of caste atrocity. He also alleged that a policeman told one of the victims that people from the Mahar community should be treated like this only.

Another day in Maharashtra, another caste atrocity.

This video is from Shrirampur, Ahmednagar where a Dalit youth is seen pleading his innocence with folded hands.

3 Dalit boys were thrashed and each of them hung upside down by a group of 4 men on suspicion of theft of pigeons.… pic.twitter.com/KzQhzanzvs

— Prakash Ambedkar (@Prksh_Ambedkar) August 27, 2023

“Another day in Maharashtra, another caste atrocity… where a Dalit youth is seen pleading his innocence with folded hands… It is ABSOLUTELY UNQUESTIONABLE that this incident is a caste atrocity”. “I spoke to one of the boys… He told me that the police said ‘the Mahar community should be treated like this only’,” Ambedkar said in a tweet.

The police have arrested two of the six accused and hunting for the remaining four. An investigation is also underway in the case.