For the past few days, an 18-year-old student of Dyal Singh College has been nursing wounds allegedly inflicted on him and his two friends by four to five seniors during a college festival on February 7. The victim alleged that he was attacked because he belongs to the Scheduled Caste.
Ashish Beniwal, a resident of Mayur Vihar’s Balmiki Colony and a first-year student of BA (Programme), was having lunch with friends Aman Bhiduri and Ankit Sharma when his seniors allegedly attacked him using an ice pick and glass bottles.
Three of his alleged attackers were identified as Ankit Dahiya, Sunny Gujjar and Sunil Sheoran. The trio were arrested the same day and later released on bail, confirmed Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Vijayanta Arya.
Victim Ashish Beniwal
“I belong to the Scheduled Caste. Some of those who attacked us are Jats. They have been harassing me for the past three-four months saying ‘ tu bhangi hai...tu hamare sath padhega? [you belong to the Scheduled Caste...you want to study with us?],” alleged Ashish, who got 14 stitches on the face.
Recalling the incident, the victim claimed the three identified accused and some others started a quarrel without provocation with his friends and him around 3 p.m. He alleged that Ankit Dahiya picked a fight with him saying he was bad-mouthing him.
“Ankit Dahiya came over and claimed I was bad-mouthing him. I denied the allegation but he did not listen and started beating me. He had an ice pick in his pocket and stabbed me with it. Then, he broke a glass bottle lying nearby and threw it on my face,” alleged Ashish, adding that the bottle missed his eye.
His friends Aman and Ankit Sharma were attacked when they tried to intervene, the victim said, adding that the duo also sustained injuries.
‘Targeted often’
Ashish alleged that the accused targeted him often because “they held a grudge arising out of caste”.
Ashish said the accused had beaten Aman in December because he won the college elections held in September. Aman had defeated the candidate supported by the accused.
“My friend had approached the police then and also registered a First Information Report. But the accused remained out of jail, though they did not come to college very often,” he said.
After the February 7 attack, the victims went to the Lodhi Colony police station and told the officers about the incident.
However, Ashish claimed, the officers allegedly did not allow them to write about the caste angle in their FIR.
“We told them that I was attacked because of my caste but they did not write that. They said my statement will be taken later but nothing happened,” said Ashish.
A senior police officer said the victims had not approached the police alleging caste-based attack.
“If such a complaint is received, action will be taken on merit,” the officer said.
Ashish alleged that the accused were drunk at the time of the incident and their intention was to kill him as they were in possession of the weapon already but the police didn’t slap stricter sections.
“An FIR has been registered under Sections 341 [wrongful restraint], 323 [voluntarily causing hurt], 506 [criminal intimidation] and 34 [common intention]. Forget attempt to murder, they have not charged the accused under the Scheduled Caste Act,” he said.
Victim’s father to appeal
Ashish’s father Harish Beniwal, a sanitation worker with the Municipal Department, said he approached a Delhi court on Monday to meet his advocate and will file a petition on Tuesday.
“We have drafted a letter to submit in the court stating that the police did not slap the relevant sections.
The written draft will also be given to senior officers of the district,” he said, adding that they had also submitted a letter to the Principal on February 8, who assured action.
Mr. Harish Beniwal said, “It is shameful that something like this is happening in the Capital.”
College Principal P.K. Sharma confirmed meeting Ashish’s parents.
“I have met them. They have demanded that the police charge the accused party with stricter sections. I told them I will write to the police myself and take relevant action on the part of the college administration,” he said.
College chairman Amitabh Sinha said, “The incident is unfortunate and I condemn it. I’ll look into the matter,” he said.
