A Dalit man was allegedly beaten up with iron rods and sticks for drinking water from a pot meant for people from "upper castes" in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district, police said on Thursday, 15 September, as quoted by news agency PTI.
This comes a month after a nine-year-old Dalit student died after being beaten up by his teacher for allegedly touching a pot of water in Rajasthan's Jalore district. The teacher was arrested and booked under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the SC/ST Act.
The police further added that the victim, Chatura Ram, was travelling to Digga with his wife when they stopped near a grocery store, where he drank water from a pot kept outside the shop. After this, around four to five men started abusing him and beating him with iron rods and sticks for drinking water from the pot which they claimed was for people from upper castes, the police said.
In the view of the incident, four people have been booked under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the police added.
Ram sustained injuries behind one of his ears and on other body parts. He was taken to a hospital and his statement was recorded, police said, adding that a case has been registered on the basis of his complaint.
Ram alleged that the accused also fired bullets but police said the claim is yet to be verified, PTI reported.
(With inputs fro PTI.)
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