Dalit men tonsured, thrashed, made to drink drain water in Odisha

Two Dalit men who were transporting three cows as part of a dowry for their daughter’s marriage were stopped by a group of vigilantes while passing through Kharigumma village, Ganjam district in Odisha.

The group accused the duo of being cow smugglers who were transporting the animals from Haripur to Singipur.

The group demanded money from them, which they refused, leading to the group attacking them. They were thrashed, their heads partially tonsured, and were made to crawl almost two kilometres from Kharigumma to Jahada. Further, the group of men forced the victims to eat grass and drink contaminated drain water, all in public view.

The two men managed to escape somehow and register a complaint at a Dharakote police station. The police later admitted the victims to a local hospital for treatment. An investigation is underway into the case.