Dalit man thrashed for wearing good clothes, sunglasses in Gujarat, seven booked

A Dalit man was allegedly thrashed by a group of persons belonging to an upper caste community after they were irked by his trendy dressing sense and dazzling sunglasses in Gujarat's Banaskantha district, police said.

Gandhinagar:ADalitman was allegedly beaten up by a group of persons belonging to an upper-caste community for wearing good dress and sunglasses in the Banaskantha district of Gujarat, police said on Thursday. The heart-wrenching incident took place at Mota village in Palanpur taluka on Tuesday night. The victim's mother was also attacked following which the victim and his mother were taken to a hospital.

The victim was identified as Jigar Shekhalia, who was standing outside his home when one of the seven accused approached him and launched the attack. Shekhalia was abused and threatened by the accused for "flying too high these days". A First Information Report (FIR) was filed against seven persons at Gadh police station under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections pertaining to rioting, unlawful assembly, outraging the modesty of a woman, voluntarily causing hurt, using abusive language, etc.

They were also booked under relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. No arrest has been made in connection with the incident so far, the police official said. The same night, when the complainant was standing outside a village temple, six accused from the community with Rajput surnames came towards him.

Armed with sticks, they asked him why he was dressed up well and wearing sunglasses. They then thrashed and dragged him behind a dairy parlour. When his mother rushed to save him, they assaulted her as well and threatened to kill her. They even tore her clothes, the police said citing the complaint by the victim.