Ten upper caste persons were arrested after they allegedly assaulted and attacked three members of the Dalit community, including a 26-year-old groom for playing music during a wedding procession in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut town on Saturday, March 1.
According to police, the attackers took away two rings, a gold bracelet and Rs 2 lakh in cash from the Dalit victims.
The relative of the groom, Govind, registered an FIR at the Sardhana police station. The groom, Sanjeev, who belonged to a village in Muzaffanagar, was on his way to his marriage, which was in Kalindi village, The New Indian Express reported.
Govind alleged that once he and his wedding procession entered Kalindi village, about ten people from the upper caste community objected to the music.
“Around eight to 10 men stopped our vehicles and assaulted us with lathis and sharp-edged weapons. My two younger brothers, including the bridegroom, and a sister suffered serious injuries. They chased the women and beat them up. They said only Thakurs could play music in their marriage and will not allow any kind of music by a Dalit groom or bride,” states the FIR.
The injured are currently receiving medical treatment at a local hospital.
Meerut superintendent of police (Rural) Rakesh Mishra said that three people have been arrested in relation to the assault case
“We are on the lookout for others. The attackers have been booked under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) Act and for assault. We will arrest all involved in the case,” the police officer said.
Dalit groom attacks have become very common in India lately. On February 21, a Dalit wedding procession was allegedly attacked by upper-caste members at Dharmawali village in Bulandshahr district over an altercation over playing of music.
Nagina MP and Azad Party chief Chandrashekhar responded that if the culprits are not arrested soon, a statewide agitation would be launched.
“This is not a random attack on a marriage procession. The incident highlights the casteist mentality of the society which is yet not ready to accept members of the Bahujan Samaj to rejoice in their celebrations,” he wrote on X
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