A 31-year-old Dalit man in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra district has alleged that he was brutally assaulted and threatened by a group of dominant caste men after purchasing agricultural land in his village and attempting to cultivate it.
The incident reportedly took place in Abhaidopura village of Kirawali area, where the victim, identified as Ramniwas, accused local men of attacking him, hurling casteist slurs and demanding extortion money to allow him to farm on his own land.
According to the complaint, the accused allegedly attempted to strangulate him using a cloth around his neck when he refused to pay.
‘Pay Rs 5 Lakh to Farm Here’: Victim
Ramniwas, a resident of Abhaidopura village, said he had purchased farmland in the village from one Laxman Singh for Rs 8.5 lakh. The land is reportedly located near fields owned by several men from the Jat community — identified as Dharmendra alias Pappu, Bunty, Ajua, Sunil and Kuldeep.
The victim alleged that tensions began soon after he purchased the land and that the accused were unhappy with his ownership of the property.
According to Ramniwas, the incident occurred on April 10 at around 8 am when he reached the field to begin ploughing.
He alleged that the five men surrounded him and demanded Rs 5 lakh as “rangdari” (extortion money) if he wanted to continue farming there.
This story was originally published in theobserverpost.com. Read the full story here.