Athani police have arrested one person on charges of assaulting a Dalit landless labourer and his family members.
Sadashiv Shingade and four others have been booked under prevention of atrocities against members of SC/ST communities and assault and battery and other provisions of IPC.
Bhimrao Sale, the Dalit labourer, had complained to the Athani police that he was assaulted by members of the Shingade family for objecting to their action of trying to build a road on his land. He had complained that the Shingades had tried to encroach on his land and build an approach road. The old man was beaten up allegedly by the accused. “They also beat up my wife and children,” he had said in the complaint. The incident happened on October 23. The arrest was made on Wednesday.