Dalit man seeks salary, his former employer forces him to hold her footwear in mouth

Morbi: Police in Gujarat’s Morbi city have registered a case against a businesswoman and at least six others for allegedly assaulting a 21-year-old Dalit man, who worked in her company for a fortnight, and forcing him to apologise by holding her footwear in his mouth for demanding salary, an official said.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, he said.

The victim, Nilesh Dalsaniya, lodged a complaint, based on which Morbi city’s ‘A’ division police on Thursday registered a first information report (FIR) against the woman, identified as Vibhuti Patel aka Raniba, and others including her brother Om Patel and manager Parikshit, said Pratipalsinh Zala, Deputy Superintendent of Police (SC/ST Cell).

Vibhuti Patel is the owner of Raniba Industries Pvt Ltd, which has an office in a commercial complex at Ravapar Crossroad. In the beginning of October, she hired Dalsaniya, who is into tiles marketing, on a monthly salary of Rs 12,000, the FIR said.

However, on October 18, she suddenly sacked him. When Dalsaniya sought his salary for 16 days that he worked in the company, Patel did not give a clear answer and then stopped responding to his calls, it said.

“When Dalsaniya, his brother Mehul and neighbour Bhavesh went to Patel’s office on Wednesday evening, the businesswoman’s brother Om Patel reached the place with his accomplices and started assaulting the trio,” Zala said.

Vibhuti Patel also slapped and dragged him to the terrace of the commercial complex, the FIR said.

The accused, including Parikshit Patel, Om Patel and six to seven unidentified men, beat him with belts and also kicked and punched him, it said.

The complainant alleged that Vibhuti Patel forced him to take her footwear in his mouth and made him apologise for demanding salary. She also threatened to get him killed if he is seen in the Ravapar Crossroad area again.

They also shot a video and forced him to say that he came to Vibhuti’s office to extort money.

In a video, the accused are seen forcing the victim to apologise for demanding salary from the businesswoman.

After returning home, the Dalit man was taken to Morbi civil hospital where he is currently undergoing treatment, the police said.

“All the accused were booked on the charges of assault, criminal intimidation, rioting and under relevant sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,” Zala said.

Investigation into the case is underway, he said, adding that no arrest has been made yet.