AHMEDABAD: A Dalit groom was forced to dismount from a horse during his wedding procession, subjected to casteist remarks, and allegedly threatened in Chadasana village, Gandhinagar District, Gujarat.
In response to a complaint lodged by the groom's cousin and Brother, the police have filed charges against four individuals under the Prevention of Atrocities Against SCs and STs Act.
According to the complaint lodged at Mansa Police Station in Gandhinagar on Monday, while the groom was riding a horse with approximately 100 other people in the wedding procession around one o'clock in the afternoon, an individual arrived on a motorcycle, threatened the groom, forcibly removed him from the horse, and uttered racist slurs.
The brother of the groom, who filed a complaint with the police, stated in the complaint that "after my brother was forcibly removed from the horse, our family members attempted to resolve the matter with the individual. During this, three other people intervened, siding with the person who removed my brother from the horse, and subjected us to caste-based abuse. Additionally, a family member was slapped."
"They claimed riding a horse required their permission. Despite my efforts for a peaceful procession, they refused to budge and instead threatened the horse owner and DJ sound personnel to leave the wedding venue as soon as possible," FIR says.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Gandhinagar Kalol Division Praveen Manwar told the media on Tuesday that "When a wedding procession in Chadasana village of Mansa went with a DJ sound system, three people from the village opposed it, resulting in a clash with two parties."
“The clash began over the issue of playing the DJ sound, and then there was a dispute over the issue of sitting on the horse. The police have filed an FIR on this matter, and the police have also rounded up those named as accused." He added.