Pregnant Dalit woman attacked for refusing to remove cow carcass

Palanpur: A five-month pregnant Dalit woman and her husband were allegedly assaulted by half a dozen upper caste men for refusing to clear a cow carcass at Karja village in Amirgadh taluka of Banaskantha district late on Friday evening.

The woman, Sangeeta Ranawasia (25), and her husband, Nilesh Ranawasia (27), were later admitted to the civil hospital in Palanpur. In all, six persons including three Dalit women were injured in the attack.

Police arrested six persons belonging to Darbar community on Saturday for assault, criminal intimidation, rioting and under various sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The accused were identified as Batvarsinh Chauhan (26), Manknusinh Chauhan (21), Yogisinh Chauhan (25), Babarsinh Chauhan (45), Dilvirsinh Chauhan (23) and Narendrasinh Chauhan (23), all residents of Karja village.

The incident happened when Batvarsinh asked Nilesh and Sangeeta to clear a cow carcass from his field. The couple told Batvarsinh that they have stopped clearing animal carcasses. Angered by the reply, Batvarsinh and his accomplices attacked the couple and other Dalits.

Nilesh who lodged the complaint, told police that about 10 persons attacked them."My wife Sangeeta is admitted at civil hospital as she was hit in her stomach," Nilesh stated in his complaint. While Sangeeta is still under treatment, Nilesh, who sustained minor injuries, was discharged Saturday evening.

Following the incident, police have increased patrolling in Karja village. They have also provided protection to the victims and their immediate family members. "We have provided protection to Dalit families in the village and doing our best to maintain peace and harmony in the village," said Neeraj Badgujar, district superintendent of police Banaskatha.

"In view of rising concern over atrocities against Dalits it will be our priority to submit the charge sheet against the accused as early as possible," he added.

Following the thrashing of four Dalits in Una town of Gir-Somnath in July for skinning dead cows, members of the community have stopped clearing animal carcasses across the state. However, there have been cases where Dalits were assaulted for refusing to dispose dead animals.

In August, a 15-year-old Dalit boy was thrashed by two men from the upper caste in Bhavda village in Daskroi taluka of Ahmedabad after his father refused to dispose cattle carcasses. In the same month, two Dalits were thrashed in Mandal village of Rajula taluka of Amreli for refusing to dispose carcass of a calf on Sunday afternoon. Seven persons, including sarpanch of Mandal village were booked for assaulting Dalits.