Friends beat mentally unstable MP dalit youth to death for touching food

BHOPAL: A mentally unstable Dalit youth in Madhya Pradesh was beaten to death by his two friends, allegedly for touching their food.

The shocking incident took place in Kishanpura village under Gourihar police station area of Chhatarpur district on December 7. 

The 20-year-old Dalit youth, Devraj Anuragi, was having food at his house when his friends Santosh Pal and Rohit Soni, both belonging to OBC category, took him for a private party at their agricultural plot.

A few hours later, Devraj was dropped home by the duo in an injured state and died a short while later.

The accused, who have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including murder and under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, are on the run.

“In a complaint, Devraj’s family has alleged that before breathing his last, he told them that his friends were enraged when he touched their food and assaulted him with blunt objects,” Chhatarpur superintendent of police Sachin Sharma said.

“The deceased’s family claimed that he had injuries on his back suggesting that he was attacked with a stick. A few minutes later (on Monday night), he complained of chest pain and died.”

Special teams have been formed to track and nab the two accused, Sharma said. This is not the first case of killing of a Dalit by powerful OBC men in MP.

Just 10 days ago, a 50-year-old Dalit man was thrashed to death by two Yadav men (OBC caste) when he failed to give them matchsticks to light up their cigarettes.

A few days later, a Dalit family was allegedly forced to leave their village in Shivpuri district due to repeated torture by a powerful OBC family related to minister Suresh Dhakad Rathkheda.

The family was allegedly harassed for not voting for the minister, a Jyotiraditya Scindia loyalist, in the recent assembly bypolls.

In 2019, two Dalit children were beaten to death by two Yadav men, allegedly for defecating in the open in Shivpuri district of the state.