A Dalit family in Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh has accused the relatives of a state minister of torturing them for not voting for the BJP. They have been camping outside the district police chief’s office since Monday, 30 November, in an attempt to seek justice, NDTV reported.
Originally from Jhalwasa village, the family allege that MP Minister of State Suresh Dhakad Rathkheda ordered to file fraudulent cases against them, because they had not voted for the BJP in the recent Assembly by-elections.
NDTV reported that they tried reaching Rathkeda through calls and text messages, but received no comment.
Background
In the Assembly by-polls in November, Rathkeda defeated the BSP candidate, retaining his Pori seat.
It was then that this alleged harassment had taken place, and the allegedly fake cases filed against the family.
Shivpuri Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Praveen Bhuria reportedly said, “The police did not receive any complaint about the vote. The complainant family says they were tortured and they have a dispute with the Dhakad family. It also says that in the past, a case was also registered against them which they say was false.”
He also added that he has “directed for a probe” and “the family's statement will be recorded in a police station.”
Shivpuri has a history of Dalit atrocities. In September of 2019, two men belonging to the Yadav caste allegedly murdered two Dalit children for ‘defecating in the open’.
(With inputs from NDTV)
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