BERHAMPUR: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday demanded strong action against those who forced two dalit youths to walk on knees, eat grass and drink dirty water in a village of Ganjam district on Sunday. The two were brutally tortured, half tonsured, forced to eat grass and drink drain water after being falsely accused of cattle smuggling.
The shocking incident took place in broad daylight at Kharigumma village under Dharakote block on Sunday. Stating that the incident is not only inhuman, the Congress leader said that it is a mirror for those who say caste is no longer an issue. “Every incident that trample the dignity of dalits is an attack on Baba Saheb's constitution and a conspiracy against equality, justice and humanity,” he added.
Such incidents are becoming common in BJP-ruled states. Atrocities against SC, ST and women have increased worrisome manner especially in Odisha. “The culprits should be arrested and severely punished. The country will run by the Constitution, not by Manusmriti,” he added. Sources said the victims, Bulu Nayak (52) and Babul Nayak (43) of Singipur, purchased a cow and two calves from Haripur as part of dowry arrangement of a family's marriage ceremony and were bringing the cattle to their village on a cargo auto-rickshaw.
A group of locals intercepted them at Kharigumma, accusing them of transporting cattle illegally. The group snatched their mobile phones and cash and demanded Rs 30,000 to release the animals. When the duo refused, the miscreants tied their limbs, thrashed them, partially shaved their heads at a local salon, forced them to crawl for nearly two km to Jahada village. The victims were then allegedly forced to consume grass and drain water at Jahada village chowk.
Subsequently, a villager informed a local leader who reached the spot to release them but demanded Rs 30,000 for the purpose. Despite suffering injuries on head and other parts of the body due to the assault, the two victims managed to escape from the spot and reached their village.
After receiving preliminary treatment at the local hospital, they lodged a complaint with Dharakote police. However, as the police were reportedly busy with VVIP duty on Sunday, the FIR was accepted late in the night. As the news of the inhuman incident spread, leaders of Ganjam unit of Dalit Mahasabha reached Singipur and held at a protest meeting on Monday. Expressing concern over rise in atrocities against dalits during the one-year rule of BJP in the state, they accused the government of failing to curb the rising lawlessness in Ganjam.
Demanding arrest of the culprits involved in the attack on the two dalit men, the Mahasabha leaders also sought immediate rescue of the cattle from the captivity of the attackers. Ganjam SP Subhendu Patra said some villagers of Khariguma and Jahada assaulted the victims on suspicion of cattle smuggling. Their main purpose was money extortion.When the victims didn't pay, the culprits assaulted them. So far, nine persons has been detained for questioning. All the culprits involved in the incident would be nabbed soon, he added.