BHOPAL: A Dalit groom rode the horse to his wedding under police protection in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday but a group of so-called upper caste men in the village eventually got back at him. His house was attacked and a car was vandalised by the group, police said.
On Monday, authorities in Sagar district, 150km from state capital Bhopal, said 10 people have been arrested after the groom, Dilip Ahirwar, filed a first information report (FIR) under the Dalit atrocities law. The FIR accuses a group of 20 people led by Dharmendra Lodhi for the attack and humiliated meted out to the family.
Additional superintendent of police Vikram Singh Kushwaha said the main accused, Dharmendra Lodhi, and nine others have been arrested and additional police personnel deployed in the district’s Ganiyari village.
Kushwaha said the groom approached the police to seek protection for riding the horse to his wedding less than a kilometre from his house after musclemen in the village objected. The police intervened, and Dilip Ahirwar rode the horse.
“But in the night Dharmendra Lodhi and 19 others attacked Ahirwar’s house. They vandalized a car and also hurled abuses on the family members of Ahirwar,” said the police officer.
Dilip’s family member, Pramod, filed a complaint with the police on charges of rioting and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Banda police station in-charge Manas Dwivedi said, “Police force has been deployed in the village for security. The accused Dharmendra Lodhi and others have been arrested. Some suspects are being questioned.”
This story first appeared on hindustantimes.com