India, Where a Dalit Can't Take Out His 'Baraat' — Several Attacked Over 1 Year

Recently in Agra, a Dalit groom was told, "Ch*m*ars cannot take out their wedding procession here," as per the FIR.

A Dalit groom was recently attacked in Agra, Uttar Pradesh during his wedding procession.

(Photo: Vibhushita Singh/The Quint)

Imagine it's your wedding day. In the spirit of celebration, a procession is taken out as per the usual customs but instead of reaching your the venue dancing away, you're attacked, humiliated and your belongings are vandalised.

This is what many Dalit grooms in India face during their wedding processions. For instance, take Vishal's case.

When Vishal's wedding procession was positioned on Azizpur road in Agra, going towards Seva Sadan, a group of 3-4 men, on the pretext of clearing the way for their car, started hurling casteist abuses at the groom and the procession.

"The men saw photos of BR Ambedkar and Gautam Buddha and got infuriated. They said, 'Ch*m*ars cannot take out their wedding procession here' and they beat the groom. They hit him with the back of the gun on his head and broke the glasses of the photos as well."

This is what Vishal's father Mukesh claimed in the FIR that was filed on 10 March in Malpura police station, four days later after the incident took place.

When The Quint called ACP Devesh Singh, he said, "We can't tell you anything, we will only answer to the court regarding this issue. You also don't have the right to ask in middle of the probe."

The Quint has also accessed the FIR. The complaint was filed against one Vishnu Sharma, his son and few other individuals under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita such as:

Section 115 (2) punishment for voluntarily causing hurt, Section 352 – intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace. Section 351(3) – punishment for criminal intimidation and Section 324 – mischief.

Three sections under the SC/ST Act have also been added.

Additionally, the groom's father recalled that, "They hit a relative of ours too and said, 'What will you do about us? The police can't do anything to us.' They also threatened the photographers and videographers to not shoot or they will kill them."

The family then completed the wedding procession without any band, music or celebration. They have also demanded that a medical examination of the injured relative is conducted, the guns used in the assault are seized and a strict action is taken under the charges filed.

This is not an isolated incident. In the past year alone, The Quint found at least six more such incidents where the Dalit groom was either attacked for their caste identity, riding a horse or even playing music.

More Incidents in Past One Year

(Note: This is not an exhaustive list, these are some of the reported cases in the past year).

Meerut, Uttar Pradesh: On 1 March 2025, during a wedding procession, three upper-caste men allegedly attacked members of Dalit community, including the groom and severely injured them for playing DJ music. The incident took place near Kalinidi village on the outskirts of Meerut, UP.

One of the wedding guests alleged that the upper-caste men were intoxicated and claimed that wedding processions by Dalits were not allowed in the area. Moreover, they also attacked guests with sticks, iron rods and hurled casteist slurs.

The men also reportedly looted two gold rings, a bracelet and Rs 2 lakh from the groom's uncle. While the groom's family mentioned 8-10 men who assaulted them, the police has arrested three men named as accused, as per The Indian Express.

Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh: In a similar manner, on 22 February 2025, around 40 Thakur men allegedly attacked a wedding procession, pulled the groom off his horse for passing through their locality and playing loud music, as per the police.

The 'baraatis' were also beaten up brutally, leaving six of them with head injuries. The accused also made casteist remarks and threatened them not to enter their neighbourhood again.

However, the police had stated that it was a fight over playing loud music and five persons were arrested. An FIR was registered against 30 identified persons and some unidentified people under several BNS sections and the SC/ST Act.

Damoh, Madhya Pradesh: These cases reveal an apparent resentment among upper-caste men against Dalits for merely choosing to take their wedding procession through certain localities belonging to upper-caste groups. Damoh's incidence is another case point.

On 10 December 2024, after the wedding festivities were completed and the carriage along with the driver were returning, the 'baraatis' were allegedly ambushed by a mob led by Ratnesh Thakur.

They vandalised the carriage, assaulted the wedding guests, threatened them at a gun point and reportedly beat the horse as well. The family had earlier been told to not take out the wedding procession near houses of Ahirwar community, but they had gone ahead on the assurance of local leaders.

Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh: Another incident in this district took place on 11 December 2024 when the groom Robin Singh, a police constable was on his way to marry another constable from Lakhawati, UP.

He was forced off his horse, stones were thrown at his wedding procession as it was passing through Titona village, apparently an upper-caste dominated neighbourhood.

The attackers were reportedly from Thakur and Rajput communities and made casteist remarks targeting the groom. Singh's father told the media that the men not only pulled him down from the horse, but also stopped him from getting on, pelted stones at the guests, the DJ system and misbehaved with women as well.

An FIR was then filed and five people were arrested in this case. The police maintained that the altercation was over the loud music.

Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh: Four people were booked for reportedly thrashing a Dalit groom following a scuffle that broke out during the wedding procession on 20 May 2024.

The groom, Naresh Jatav's wedding procession was being taken out in Gwailor's Rithodan village under Karahiya police station range when they passed by the house of one of the accused.

Some people threw stones, gathered around with sticks in their 'baraat.' When some currency notes thrown by the groom's relatives fell on some women from the accused's side, a clash ensued.

An elderly relative of the groom had stated that the accused hurled abuses, casteist slurs, fired gun shots in the air and beat up the groom and his relatives. They broke the horse carriage as well.

Gandhinagar, Gujarat: Members of Thakor community allegedly attacked and restrained a Dalit groom, Vikas, for riding a horse in Chanasma village, Gandhinagar district on 12 February 2024.

The FIR which was filed by one of his relatives stated that there were about 100 people in the wedding procession on the way to the bride's house when one of the accused reached the spot on a motorcycle. He approached Vikas, held his collar and tried to pull him down the horse.

"You stay in your limits...you can't ride a horse. Don't you know the tradition of the village? You have to seek permission from us and only Thakurs can ride horses," this is what the accused said while hurling abuses, as per the FIR.

Dalit Grooms Under Police Cover

In the wake of rising cases against Dalit grooms, Rajasthan police had initiated preventive ways to counter any harassment.

In Ajmer's Lavera village, police protection was provided for a scheduled caste wedding procession of Aruna and Lokesh, to avoid opposition from upper-caste locals.

Around 400 officers enabled the groom to ride the horse without any fear. The security arrangements were made following requests from the bride's father.

In contrast to this, last year in March, a Dalit family penned a letter to UP's Lalitpur district administration and Madavara police station, pleading for assistance in ensuring during their wedding procession.

However, their requests were allegedly ignored by the authorities prompting the groom to reach out to the Azad Samaj Party and the Bhim Army for help.

These incidents evidently underscore how fear looms large among Dalits to safely carry out their wedding processions given the targeted attacks reported every other month.

For a Dalit to carry out a typical wedding procession or ride a horse for the occasion then becomes an act no less than resistance; a tool to claim their agency in a public space.