A 22-year-old dalit labourer Ankit was beaten to death by five people at Baghra village of Muzaffarnagar on Saturday. Amid the ongoing protests by dalits, the incident led to tension in the area.
Police arrested all the accused on Sunday and slapped cases against them for Culpable Homicide (not amounting to murder) and under relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act.
The Superintendent of Police, (Muzaffarnagar rural) Ajay Sahdev told TheHindu that Ankit was a labourer who was beaten to death by workers of a jaggery unit on suspicion of being a thief.
“Ankit was a labourer who had gone to Muzaffarnagar on Saturday looking for work. According to his mother Kesho's complaint, he came back home in the evening and after having a meal, he went out for a walk but did not return home. Later some villagers found his body near a jaggery unit,” Mr. Sahdev said.
“The villagers took him to the nearby hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead. We have sent the body for post-mortem. We have also arrested Rampal, Lookesh, Ajay, Amit and Haseen on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and relevant sections of the SC/ST POA Act,” he added
The police said that the five accused confessed that they found Ankit allegedly trying to steal the belongings of the jaggery unit after which they beat him which caused his death.
“Police in investigating the case. We are waiting for the post-mortem report. Action will be taken on the basis of the post-mortem report,” Mr. Sahdev added.
The alleged murder of Ankit who was the lone breadwinner of his house, led to anger among the local dalits who protested against his murder. Senior police officials persuaded the protesters to calm down and assured them of justice.
Considering the sensitivity of the issue in the context of the ongoing dalit protest as the case could become a trigger of another set of protest by local dalits, Police has deployed police force in the village to control law and order.
