Meghwal’s family members had on Friday staged a protest, seeking Rs 25 lakh as compensation

A 22-year-old Dalit man was allegedly beaten to death by members of another caste in Rajasthan’s Churu district on Thursday, officials said. Police said that while they were investigating reports that the motive behind the attack on Asaram Meghwal (22) was a rumoured love affair between the victim and a girl from another caste, preliminary probe suggests that the cause of the assault was trespass. Meghwal and the accused are residents of the same village, Satra, in Churu district. Two of them have been arrested while one is absconding.

“I received a call from an unknown number on Thursday afternoon. The caller said that my brother was brutally beaten and dumped on a road. When I rushed to the spot, I found him grievously injured. He was lying on the road near a house where people from Jangid caste live,” said Hanuman Prasad, Meghwal’s elder brother.

Prasad said occupants of the house also threatened him. “I saw residents of the house standing near the gate. When I asked them about my brother, they said that they have beaten him and threatened to assault me as well,” he said.

Meghwal’s family members had on Friday staged a protest, seeking Rs 25 lakh as compensation and government job for his kin. They have consent for post-mortem only after officials of the district administration intervened.

Ranveer Singh, Churu deputy superintendent of police (SC/ST Cell), said a case has been registered against three accused named by the family of the victim. “We have arrested Shrawan and Dinesh Jangid, and are searching for another man who is absconding. Preliminary investigation suggests that Meghwal was attacked for trespassing,” he said.