In a horrific case of caste-based discrimination, a Dalit man was assaulted by a group of five men and singed with burning wood for entering a temple Mori area of Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand on Monday, according to police.
The accused have been identified as Jaiveer Singh, Ishwar, Ashish, Chain Singh and Bhagyan of Salra village in Mori area. They have been booked under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 3 of the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
All five accused have been arrested by the police.
In his complaint to the police, victim Ayush (22) said that he was attacked by the accused who objected to him entering Kaunwal Temple in Salra village at around 7 pm on January 9.
He was tied inside the temple and beaten up the whole night, Ayush alleged, adding that all five accused belong to upper castes. He further alleged that the accused singed him with burning coal, due to which he collapsed.
Ayush, a resident of nearby Bainol village, in his complaint filed at Mori police station, said that he was naked when he regained consciousness the next morning and ran away from the temple without searching for his clothes.
Speaking to media persons, superintendent of police (SP) Arpan Yaduvanshi said, “I appeal to people to maintain peace. The case has been taken seriously and all measures will be taken to ensure the law is not subverted. No one should take the law into their own hands. The law will take its own course and strict action will be taken against the perpetrators.”
The case investigation has been handed over to circle officer (operation) Prashant Kumar.