Muzaffarnagar, Jan 17: A Dalit man was beaten with sticks, punches and kicks in western UP’s Muzaffarnagar by upper caste men who claimed he had insulted the gods. The assailants forced him to chant ‘Jai Mata Di’.
While three men were beating the man, one man was recording the assault. After it went viral on social media, police took notice and registered an FIR. The Dalit man has been identified as a 27-year-old resident of the city. The FIR has been filed in Purkazi police station.
The police said that they were speaking to the victim and his family members. The accused have been identified as members of the dominant Gujjar community.
The FIR was registered under for attempt to murder and for doing deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and sections of SC/ST act.
The video clip shows that a bike helmet lying on the ground while a man beaten with sticks. At one point, the man was asked to chant Jai Mata Di. He was also seen folding hands before the assailants. Another assailant asked the youth why he criticise his gods when they didn’t criticise Ambedkar. Police are conducting raids to nab the accused.