Rajkot: Ten more people were arrested for their alleged involvement in brutally thrashing six members of a Dalit family in Ner village of Bhacha taluka last week.
With the fresh arrests, the total number of people held has gone up to 17 even as the main accused Bhanji Suthar continues to evade police.
Police said the 10 accused were nabbed following intensive combing operations and information received through human and technical sources.
The arrested attackers have been identified as Keshra Rabari, Arjan Rabari, Dinesh Jairam Maraj, Rajesh Maraj, Dinesh Ramji Maraj, Vela Ahir, Sava Koli, Chouda Koli, Navghan Koli and Momaya Koli. Earlier, seven people were arrested.
Cops said that all these accused are residents of Mewadanagar locality of Ner village and were involved in the attack on the family of Jaga Vaghela.
In his complaint, Vaghela has alleged that Suthar had held a meeting wherein it was decided to attack the family.
According to the complaint, the upper caste members, in this meeting, decided to delibereately let loose their buffaloes in his farm and damage the crops.
When Vaghela and his kin rushed to the farm, they were attacked.
It is alleged that the attack was planned as Vaghela and his family members attended an installation ceremony of a temple in the village despite being asked to not come.
Police, however, have taken this allegation with a pinch of salt saying that the incident was a fallout of the political rivalry between Vaghela and Suthar as the former had been overwhelmingly voted as the sarpanch by the village.
Courtesy : The Times Of India
Note: This news piece was originally published in timesofindia.indiatimes.com and use purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Rights objectives.
