Memories of the 2016 Una atrocity came back to haunt Gujarat after a 21-year-old Dalit youth was allegedly hacked to death by three upper caste persons at Umrala village of Bhavnagar on Thursday evening.
While the family of the deceased, Pradeep Rathod, alleged he was killed for owning a horse, police are investigating other angles like personal rivalry and a love affair as well.
Kalu Rathod, Pradeep's father, claimed the upper caste men were not happy with Pradeep riding a horse as he hailed from a backward community and had threatened to kill him if he didn't stop.
The police arrested three persons in connection with the murder, after Pradeep's family refused to accept the body if the culprits were not arrested.
According to a complaint lodged with the Umrala Police, Kalu said that one Natubha Darbar from the nearby Timbi village made death threats to Pradeep and a few other youth if they didn't stop flaunting the horse.
Kalu said, "My son had gone to our farm on a horse. While returning, he called to say he will join us for dinner, but he didn't come back till late. We set out looking for him and found his body near a road to our farm."
Demanding action against those responsible for the crime, the family refused to accept Pradeep's body for cremation.
AM Saiyad, Deputy Superintendent of Police of the Bhavnagar SC/ST Cell, said: "We have detained three persons in connection with the murder and their interrogation is on. We have got a CCTV footage of Pradeep riding a horse before he was found dead. We are investigating; there could be other reasons for the youth's killing and that could be personal rivalry or love affair too."
The Gujarat government has appointed a senior IPS official for a detailed investigation in the case.
In 2016, at Una town in Gir Somnath district, upper caste men tied up and flogged four Dalit youths at a public place, alleging cow slaughter.
In 2017, a case of atrocity against Dalit youths was reported in Gandhinagar district for keeping thick moustache and his moustache was shaved off by upper caste men.
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