14-year-old Dalit boy thrashed, humiliated before panchayat on theft charge

A 14-year-old Dalit boy was allegedly thrashed by a resident of Nizampura village falling under Jandiala Guru police station here. According to his family, the boy and his kin were also humiliated before the village panchayat.

The incident came to light when a video went viral and the matter reached the Commission for Scheduled Castes which recommended the registration of a criminal case in this regard.

In the FIR, Jyoti, mother of the victim, alleged that her son was mentally challenged and it was usual for him to enter houses in the village. She said that on April 16, at around 11 pm, he entered the house of Gurinder Singh as he was hungry. He said Gurinder Singh brutally thrashed him. The next day, he was again beaten up with a stick in front of the village panchayat during which he sustained a head injury. She alleged that though some residents tried to broker a compromise, she wanted to register an FIR against the accused.

The police have registered a case under relevant sections of BNS and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against Gurinder Singh. Victor Singh, investigating officer in the case, said that the accused was arrested and further probe was on.

Karamjit Gill, general secretary, Gian Ashram Paavan Valmiki Tirath, condemned the incident and said that the village panchayat should not have allowed the humiliation of the family. He alleged that the family was even asked to leave the village. Gill said it was due to their intervention that the family returned to the village.

On the other hand, members of the village panchayat refuted the allegations and said that the boy was a habitual offender and was involved in theft incidents in the village. The panchayat did not lodge a police complaint earlier as it would have made him a bigger criminal, said Harpreet Singh, a member of the village panchayat. He alleged that in the incident that took place, the boy had entered the house late at night with the intention of committing theft.

Seeking a high-level probe into the matter, he urged senior police officials to investigate the matter properly and ensure justice.

Amritsar