Neeraj Jatav was allegedly beaten to death. The deceased’s father claimed that his son went to play Holi in another part of the village with his friends where around 15 people with sticks and other weapons attacked them.
A day after a 16-year-old Dalit boy, Neeraj Jatav, was allegedly beaten to death in Rajasthan’s Alwar district, the family members of the victim have claimed that the assailants hurled casteist abuses at the boy, his brother and friends during the attack. The incident took place on Friday afternoon in Bhiwadi village in Alwar when the victim was playing Holi with his brother and friends.
“At around 2pm, we went near a friend’s house where music was being played to celebrate Holi. Some people from the Gurjar community approached us and enquired why we were standing there. They then hurled casteist abuses at us,” Dilip Jatav, brother of the deceased, told The Indian Express on Saturday. The victim’s father, Babulal Jatav, said Dilip protested following which the group threatened them and left the spot.
“The group abused them when they were listening to music. Later, when my sons along with their friends went to play Holi in another part of the village, nearly 15 people with sticks and other weapons attacked them. Neeraj was beaten to death,” Babulal, who is a truck driver by profession, claimed. The spot where the assault took place is about a kilometre from our house, he added.
In an FIR filed in Bhiwadi police station, the victim’s family members have named six people including minors. Other than Dilip and Neeraj, two more people have sustained injuries after being assaulted with rods and hockey sticks by the accused, who arrived in two-wheelers and a car, the FIR noted. “When we were leaving the spot, the assailants again abused us and threatened us with dire consequences if we reported the matter,” Dipak alleged.
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A case has been registered under sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 302 (murder), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
“We have rounded-up five people including two minors. They are currently being interrogated. The family members of the deceased have alleged that the accused hurled casteist abuses at the victim following a dispute. We will soon arrest the culprits,” Narendra Meena, deputy superintendent of police, SC/ST cell in Alwar, claimed. The officer added that among the accused there were people from the Gurjar community along with Brahmin and Nai castes.
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