Dalit man stabbed, abused after road accident; accused yet to be traced

“The car’s driver stopped my motorcycle and began abusing me. He asked me about my caste. My friend Ajit bhai told him we are from Dholka and belong to the Vankar community. I apologised to him and requested him to let us go,” Makwana said in his complaint.

“The man then told us – ‘Without permission who has allowed you to enter my village and you damaged my car’… He then took a sharp knife-like weapon from a vegetable shop nearby and attacked me,” he further added. Makwana works for Ekart courier company at Dholka and belongs to Scheduled Caste.

The accused has been identified as Naresh Thakor, and he is yet to be traced, police said. Thakor has been booked under Indian Penal Code sections for causing grievous hurt and criminal intimidation, apart from Scheduled Castes Scheduled Tribes (Prevention) of Atrocities Act.

“We are doing everything in our capacity to catch Naresh. His phone is switched off and he is on the run. We are holding raids to locate him as soon as possible,” said NK Vyas, police Inspector at Aslali Police Station.

After the incident, he filed an FIR on June 11.

The accused allegedly tried to resolve the issue by settlement but it was refused by Makwana’s father.