Gujarat: Duo ties Dalit teen to tree, thrashes him

A Dalit teenager was allegedly tied to a tree and mercilessly beaten up by two people in Patan on the suspicion of having an affair with an upper caste girl.

According to the complaint, the 17-year-old boy, a resident of Mehsana town, was allegedly abducted by two people from outside a school in Dhinoj village on Monday afternoon. The victim had gone to appear for his Class 12 board exam and was waiting at the school when he was forcibly taken on a motorcycle to a farm in the nearby Gorad village by two persons.

He identified one of them as Ramesh Patel, a conductor with Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation.

"They tied me to a tree and began beating me with a stick," he said in his complaint, as his pleas to be let go to appear for him exam fell on deaf ears.

He was eventually let go but did not get to appear for the exam. The incident came to light on Wednesday when his mother saw the injuries on his back and arms. He was later admitted to a civil hospital in Mehsana, where he lodged a police complaint.

MLA Jignesh Mevani, who visited the victim in the hospital, demanded action against those who had abducted and thrashed the boy.

"We will give a call for Patan Bandh and launch a protest if the accused are not arrested in the next 48 hours," Mevani, an independent MLA from Vadgam seat, said.

The Dalit leader also said that the boy was not only stopped from taking his English exam, but was also threatened to not appear for the next exam.