Dalit Teen Assaulted, Forced To Lick Feet in UP's Raebareli; Case Registered

The accused can be heard asking the teen to spell the word 'Thakur'.

(Photo: The Quint)

In a shocking incident that has come to fore from Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli, a Dalit student was allegedly assaulted by several other youth and forced to lick the feet of one of them.

In the video that has gone viral on social media, the youth can be seen sitting on the ground while holding his ears with several others laughing at him and abusing him. They can also be heard asking him to spell the word 'Thakur.'

The accused can then be heard asking the youth to spell their names, following which they ask him to lick the feet of one of the youth present.

The incident reportedly took place on 10 April. The police in a statement said that one minor has been arrested in the matter.

"A few students had assaulted a fellow student near Solan road in Jagatpur police station limits. The student who was assaulted had officially filed a complaint at the Jagatpur police station and a complaint was registered against all the accused under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The video of the incident was viral on social media, on the basis of which all the accused were identified. One minor has been arrested in the matter and will be produced in the juvenile court. Steps are being take to arrest the others," Ashok Kumar Singh, Dalmau circle officer, said.

What Was the Motive?

According to NDTV, several reports suggested that the youth was assaulted for asking dues for his mother's work at the fields of some of the accused.

However, the youth's family, while speaking to NDTV, denied the claims.

"He told us that he asked the attackers why they were beating him and got no convincing answer," the accused's 19-year-old sister told NDTV.