Two held for beating up Dalit boy in Gujarat

The accused had made videos of the assault and shared it on social media. (Representational Image) 

Mehsana police on Saturday said they have arrested two upper caste Darbar youths for allegedly beating up a 13-year-old Dalit boy at Becharaji town for wearing rajwadi mojari (traditional shoes) and a thick gold chain, usually worn by upper caste men. The accused had made videos of the assault and shared it on social media.

Mehsana SP Chaitanya Mandalik said the two accused — Jaydipsinh Banesinh Darbar and Chahersinh Solanki, both 19 — were arrested from neighbouring Banaskantha district late Friday night. Two other accused are still absconding. “The two were produced before court and sent to police remand for four days. We will question them to find out why they attacked the 13-year-old,” Mandalik said.

In the videos, made by the accused, the victim is seen being slapped and kicked. In one video, shot on a roadside, the youths are seen beating the victim and one of them asks the other to take the victim to a secluded place. In the second, the victim is seen making apologetic gestures, and the accused asking him to seek pardon for “attempting to look like a Darbar”.