Dalit man brutally beaten up and hung upside down in Rajasthan; 3 arrested

JAIPUR: A shocking video has surfaced on social media showing a Dalit man being brutally beaten while being hung upside down from a tree by a group of goons in Barmer district of Rajasthan. The incident, which occurred in Bhakharpura village, has sparked widespread outrage, leading to the arrest of three individuals involved.

By Khan Iqbal

According to Barmer’s Superintendent of Police, Narendra Singh, the incident occurred on Friday when 25-year-old Shravan Kumar Meghwal was accused of stealing a motorcycle. The accused, including Ishara Ram Kalbi and others, allegedly assaulted Meghwal based on the suspicion that he had stolen the bike. The video shows Meghwal being tied and hung upside down from a tree, while the perpetrators ruthlessly beat him. Several bystanders filmed the incident.

Though Meghwal has prior criminal cases against him, including one for motorcycle theft and rape (POCSO), members of the Meghwal community have refuted these claims on social media, questioning the validity of the accusations.

The victim’s family has alleged that the brutal assault was carried out after the accused levelled false allegations against Meghwal being a thief and a rapist. His father, Mangdaram, said that about 10-15 days earlier, Shravan had a verbal altercation with some villagers. On January 10, the accused allegedly came to Mangdaram’s house and accused Shravan of lifting the bike, citing footprints found at the crime scene. The family claims the accused then took Shravan, tied him, hung him from a tree, and physically assaulted him.

In a shocking twist, the accused allegedly demanded a ransom from Mangdaram. In his police complaint, Mangdaram stated that the goons called him and demanded Rs. 3.25 lakh to release his son. After paying Rs. 1 lakh, Mangdaram was able to rescue Shravan, who was still hanging from a neem tree.

The incident has drawn widespread condemnation from political leaders. Nagina MP and Azad Samaj Party President, Chandrashekhar Azad, called for the immediate arrest of all the accused and criticized the state government for failing to ensure law and order. He wrote on Twitter, “This inhumane act against a Dalit youth in Barmer district has raised serious concerns about the state’s law and order. The merciless beating and the humiliation of hanging the youth upside down from a tree is an alarming reflection of the ongoing atrocities against Dalits.”

Azad further accused political parties of making hollow promises regarding Dalit rights, saying, “During every election, parties promise to uplift Dalits, but once in power, these promises turn out to be empty. Such atrocities highlight the deep-rooted inequality in our society.”

The police have arrested three individuals in connection with the assault, and investigations are going on. Meanwhile, Congress leader Jaswant Gurjar criticized the state government, particularly Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, for the failure to maintain law and order in the state. He stated, “The increasing incidents of violence in Rajasthan, especially in border districts, expose the government’s weak administrative control and their failure to protect citizens from such crimes.”

This incident has brought to light the persistent issue of caste-based violence and the abuse of power by local goons, drawing calls for immediate action and stronger laws to protect marginalized communities.

Courtesy : India Tomorrow

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