LUCKNOW: In yet another shocking incident of caste atrocity, a group of upper caste Thakurs turned the marriage celebrations sour for a Dalit man when they thrashed people making merry in his wedding procession for carrying posters of Bhimrao Ambedkar.
The incident was reported from Asrauli village under Dehat Kotwali police station area in Etah district on Wednesday night when some upper caste men allegedly attacked the baratis, pelted stones at the wedding procession, snatched posters of the Dalit icon and asked them to take the procession through the street without posters. Moreover, they also compelled the groom to walk instead of riding the horse to reach marriage venue.
Meanwhile, on Sunday night, state SC/ST Commission took cognisance of the incident in Etah and issued
notice to district police authorities asking them to probe the issue and initiate legal proceedings against
those found guilty of trouble. The panel also directed the police authorities to tighten security in the village to avert any untoward incident in future.
There were two marriage-- one of thakurs and others of dalits-- in the village on same day. While the thakurs took out the wedding procession with groom riding a horse, dalits also tried to take out their barat with groom on horse much to the chagrin of thakurs and they, in an inebriated state, abused the baratis and pelted stones at them.
A police team was immediately called in to rescue the baraatis and helped them reach the venue. Two FIRs were lodged on Thursday evening only on the intervention of superintendent of police of Etah.
As per the complaint filed by one Rinku who was part of the procession, “When the baarat came close to a function hall where an upper-class wedding was taking place, we were attacked by five to six people. Our
posters and pictures of Ambedkar were snatched and we were assaulted.”
"Men from both the sides clashed on Wednesday night but finally the Dalit wedding took lace peacefully," said a senior cop of the district. Meanwhile, dalit men claim that upper caste men were forcing them for compromise in the case if they wanted to live peacefully in the village. Gram Pradhan of the village, Chotelal claimed, that this was first such incident in the village.
As per SP , Etah, Ashish Tiwari, probe was already on into the incident and a PAC company along with a mobile van was deputed in the village to ensure law and order. However, no one has been arrested
from either side.