Amid incidents of caste discrimination emerging from different parts of the country, in Madhya Pradesh, an elderly Dalit man was allegedly assaulted by two upper-caste men for not greeting them with folded hands.
According to reports in ETV Bharat, Nathuram Ahirwar of Udaipura village was beaten up by Akhilesh Dubey and Ramji Pandey, who live in the same village.
Quoting Nathuram's statement, ETV Bharat reported, " I was going to a ration shop. I had to pass through the houses of the accused. Since the ration shop was closed, I was returning home when the duo confronted me. They abused me saying you don't have the decency to greet us with folded hands. They then started beating me before they tied me up."
According to a report in The Mooknayak, the victim reported that both individuals took him hostage and subjected him to physical assault. He alleged that the ordeal lasted three hours during which caste-related slurs were used. The attackers tied him up and assaulted the soles of his feet, rendering him unable to walk.
The victim and his family members approached the Superintendent of Police's office. Acting on the directives of Chhatarpur SP Amit Sanghi, the Khajuraho police station registered a case against the accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the SC/ST Act.
SI Markandey Mishra confirmed that an investigation is underway, and efforts are being made to locate and apprehend the absconding accused.
(With inputs from The Mooknayak and ETV Bharat)