LUCKNOW: A Dalit youth was beaten to death for allegedly stealing guava from an orchard in Aligarh district in western UP on Saturday.
Two persons have been arrested in the case so far, the police said on Sunday.
"While returning from the forest and passing through the orchard, Om Prakash, in his 20s, picked up guava from the ground. The owners Bhim Sen and Banwari saw the fruit in the hands of Om Prakash. Assuming that Om Prakash had stolen the fruit from the orchard, both the orchard owners started thrashing him brutally with lathis and heavy objects until he fell unconscious," said the distraught brother of the victim adding that the injuries sustained by Om Prakash were conspicuous on his body.
The police said that the victim, who belonged to the 'Scheduled Caste community' was found lying unconscious and taken to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
“On receiving information that a youth was injured, police reached the spot and sent the victim to the hospital. He succumbed during treatment. Two persons have been arrested on the basis of the complaint filed by relatives of the victim. Further investigation into the case is on,” said circle officer AK Pandey.
The Aligarh police have registered a case of murder and invoked relevant sections of the SC/ST Act against two accused, including the owner of the orchard, who were named by the victim's family in the complaint lodged with the police.
The police have also sent the body for post-mortem and further details will be known after a thorough investigation.