Dalit alleges he was made to lick cops' shoes in custody

Harshad Jadav,38, of Amriawadi, has alleged that he was made to lick shoes of at least 15 police officers at Amriawadi police station in Ahmedabad for assaulting a police constable. According to the FIR filed by Jadav, he was picked up by the police after he enquired about a commotion in his area with a police constable at the scene on the night of December 28.

The constable, identified as Vinodbhai Babubhai, attacked him with a baton without any provocation, leaving him with a fractured finger, and also abused his family members, an official at the Amraiwadi police station said on Wednesday.

On the same night, he was taken to Amraiwadi police station for assaulting a public servant and was locked up during which a senior police officer asked him about his caste. Later, when he told him that he was a Dalit, they asked him to touch and lick the feet of 15 other police officials. Jadav was granted bail on December 29. "A constable was booked under ST/SC(Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the investigation has been handover to city crime branch," said AK Singh, City Police Commissioner. Jadhav's wife and mother visited the Police Commissioner's office in Shahibaug on Wednesday. The duo alleged that the policemen had abused them. However, a flower bouquet by Singh to the duo as an apology for the misbehaviour of the cops.

(With Agency Inputs)