The police have arrested seven persons in connection with the alleged atrocities committed against Dalits in Boganur village of Navalgund taluk in Dharwad district on Wednesday.
The names of the arrested were given as Shankarappa Kulkarni (32), Balappa Dyavanagoudar (24), Echarappa Badiger (32), Ishwar Badami (35), Shivappa Sunkad (52), Hasansab Mullanavar (32) and Shakarappa Angadi (52).
In connection with the same incident, Shankarappa Kulkarni and four others from the upper caste have lodged a counter complaint against 27 Dalits but no one has been arrested so far.
Several Dalit families reportedly fled the village following the assault allegedly by members of the upper caste. Some of them also came to Dharwad on Tuesday night and submitted a memorandum to Assistant Commissioner seeking protection.
The clash between Dalits and some from the upper caste broke out during Moharram celebrations in the village on Monday. In their complaint, the Dalits said that they were forcefully evicted from the mosque premises by members of the upper caste. When they protested against such ill-treatment, they were assaulted.
Later, a group of upper caste people entered the Dalit colony with lethal weapons. They abused and assaulted the residents and also threatened that they would impose social boycott, the complaint said.
Based on the complaint, the Navalgund police have registered a case against Kumar Kulkarni, Ashok Kulkarni, Shivanand Madivalar, Balappa Dyavanagoudar and 22 others.
Assistant Commissioner of Dharwad Sundaresh Babu told The Hindu that some people from Boganur village had given a petition to him and expressed apprehensions about entering the village.
“However, they returned to the village after they were assured of adequate protection. The situation is peaceful now,” he said.
