8 held in Gurgaon for assaulting Dalit youth following dispute over Diwali firecrackers

According to the complaint lodged by the victim, Kartik, 21, a resident of Jatola, on October 23 at around 7.30 pm, he was sitting outside his house when a group of seven to eight people, including Sahil, Ankit, and Ashu, arrived on a motorcycle. They allegedly assaulted him, with Sahil striking him on the waist with a stick and hurling casteist slurs.

Kartik fled to his house, but the group followed, attacked him again, and threatened to kill him and his family, as per his complaint.

Based on the complaint, a case was registered at the Farrukhnagar police station on October 24 under relevant legal provisions, including provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police (Pataudi) Sukhbir Singh, a police team apprehended the nine accused from Farrukhnagar.

“The identified accused are Ankit, 20; Himanshu, 21; Ansu, 19; Pawan, 23; Abhay, 20; all residents of Jatola; Yogesh, 22; from Farrukhnagar; Rachit, 21, from Kawali village in Rewari; and Anshu, 20, from Khol, Rewari, along with a minor aged 16.

“Police investigations revealed that the accused harboured a grudge against Kartik following an argument over firecrackers on October 20 (Diwali), which led to the assault. The police recovered a motorcycle used in the crime. The minor has been included in the investigation as per legal procedures, while the other eight accused were produced in court on October 25 and sent to judicial custody. The investigation is ongoing”, a police spokesperson said.

Kartik, in his complaint, alleged that the attackers also urinated on him, but the police said so far they have not found any evidence of the same.

“Three of those arrested are also from the same (Dalit) community. It is a personal issue that led to a fight among youngsters, not a caste crime”, Farrukhnagar police Station House Officer Inspector Santosh told The Indian Express Saturday evening.