By TNN
JAIPUR: The murder of a Dalit youth in Jhunjhunu district following torture allegedly by men linked to the local liquor mafia eight days ago drew sharp reactions from BJP and Congress politicians on Wednesday after a video clip of the torture went viral on social media.
The 41-second-long video clip purportedly shows the victim, Rameshwar Valmiki, being hung downward with his feet tied to a wooden pole held aloft by two men while a third one thrashes his feet mercilessly with a stick.The incident happened on May 14, and all four prime accused were arrested on May 16. The surfacing of the video clip led to a blame game between two top politicians over atrocities against Dalits in Rajasthan.
Former CM Ashok Gehlot condemned the incident in a post on X. “In the aftermath of BJP coming to power in the state, crimes targeting Dalits have escalated at an alarming rate. Rajasthan govt, preoccupied with crafting its public image in the media, must address these incidents with utmost seriousness and make efforts to prevent their recurrence in future,” said Gehlot.
Former leader of opposition, Rajendra Rathore of BJP, rebutted Gehlot’s claims and lambasted the previous Congress govt. “The deplorable incident in Surajgarh, Jhunjhunu, is unequivocally condemnable. Police have taken swift and decisive action, recognising the gravity of the situation, and have arrested the accused individuals,” said Rathore.
This story was originally published in timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Read the full story here.