‘No one came in support’: Dalit woman assaulted with broom for refusing to clean shopfront without payment

A video of the incident went viral on social media, purportedly showing the man assaulting the complainant and using slurs.

Devi’s son, Raja Kumar Valmiki, told The Indian Express that his mother is a private sanitation worker who cleans shops in the market and on the road. “My mother has cleaned his shop many times without getting paid, but this time, she refused. Then, the confrontation escalated, and Kesari turned violent. He was using casteist slurs against my mother, asking how she dared refuse to clean the shop,” he said.

Valmiki said he not only used “abusive words against our community” but also grabbed his mother’s hand and hit her hard on the head with the handle of the broom. “We have filed a complaint against him,” the son said.

Manju Devi Valmiki alleged in her complaint that the accused had displayed inappropriate behaviour in the past, too, and harboured ill intentions towards her.

“A bystander reportedly recorded a video of the assault, following which other community members and I intervened. However, at the time, no one came in support of my mother and rescued her,” said Raja Kumar.

Jharia police inspector Bhim Lal Paswan said immediate action was taken by registering an FIR, and said the accused would be arrested soon. “We received a complaint from Devi and her community saying that the accused had used caste-based slurs and physically assaulted her. We have seen the viral video and started taking action,” he said.

He also said that the sections of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have been invoked.