Boycotted for killing a calf, Dalit kills self

Ramu (18), a resident of Gopalpur Barandi village had been socially boycotted by villagers for accidentally killing his calf

Police have recovered the body of a Dalit, who allegedly committed suicide, from a railway track in Itiyathok area of Gonda. Ramu (18) had been socially boycotted by villagers for accidentally killing a calf in his village. His body was found on Saturday morning, nearly four km from his residence at Gopalpur Barandi village.

Police said the victim had committed suicide by jumping in front of a train. No suicide note has been recovered. Itiyathok police Station Officer, Ved Prakash Srivastava said, “He had come to know that villagers had decided to socially boycott him for killing his pet calf.” Srivastava added that so far, no one from Ramu’s family has come forward to file a complaint in this regard. Ramu, a labourer, was unmarried and was staying with his mother, Cheriya Devi, and three brothers.

Village Pradhan Usha Devi’s husband, Balram Tiwari, said: “Three days ago, Ramu hit his pet calf with a hammer while taking the animal to the field for grazing. Ramu tied animal in the field and returned home. Around two hours later, Ramu came to know through locals that calf had died because of the thrashing…”

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Tiwari added, “A series of meetings were organised in the village where villagers decided to socially boycott Ramu till the village panchayat took a final decision.” Generally, a person accused of killing a cow or a calf has to stay alone outside the village for a year and also cook for himself, said Tiwari.

He added that around 8 am on Saturday, Cheriya Devi visited his house and told a panchayat will be organised around 11 am in the matter at the village crossing. “She requested me to attend the panchayat. An hour after she left, we came to know through a locals that Ramu had committed suicide by jumping in front of the train,” he said.

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