Assault on Dalit youth for demanding salary: Community members accuse Morbi SP of bias, approach Governor

The memorandum stated, “Incidents of atrocities against Dalits in Morbi have been on the rise for a long time and as the superintendent of police of Morbi has been taking action in a manner, which helps accused in cases filed by people of Dalit community, a feeling of fear and intimidation is prevailing among the members of the Scheduled Castes.”

It added that moral responsibility for such a state of affairs lies with Harsh Sanghvi, Minister of State for Home, and therefore, he should be asked to step down. “Members of Scheduled Castes of this district as well as of entire state are angry over this and therefore, the community urges that, taking moral responsibility, Minister of State Harsh Sanghvi should be asked to submit his resignation.”

This comes a day after Nilesh Dalsaniya (21) was allegedly assaulted by Vibhuti Patel alias Raniba – owner of Raniba Industries Private Limited – and five others. Nilesh had worked at the private firm from October 2 to 18. As per an FIR registered at A Division police station, when Nilesh went to the office on Wednesday to demand his salary, the accused slapped, kicked and lashed him with belt before Vibhuti forced him to apologise to her by lying down and take her footwear in his mouth. Nilesh is undergoing treatment at government-run GMERS Hospital in Morbi.

When contacted, Morbi SP Rahul Tripathi rejected the allegations of bias. “They have levelled allegations but there is nothing like that sort (in reality). We have registered the FIR on the basis of what the victim has said,” he said.

Tripathi added that the members of the community have demanded that more IPC sections be invoked against the accused and the police have agreed. “They demanded that some more Sections need to be added… so, we have sent a report to the court accordingly,” he said.

Morbi Deputy Superintendent of Police (SC/ST Cell) Pratipalsinh Zala said that Nilesh has said that the accused robbed him of a smart watch and Rs 500 in cash. “Accordingly, we have initiated the process of adding sections related to loot,” he added.

So far, the accused have been booked under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act as well as under Indian Penal Code sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506(2) (criminal intimidation), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting) and 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object).

Zala said three teams have been formed to arrest the five accused named in the FIR. “Searches were conducted at the accused’s office and residence but she was not found there,” he added. Meanwhile, the five accused moved the designated Atrocity court in Morbi on Friday, seeking protection from arrest in the case.