In a shocking case of caste-based violence, two Dalit men were allegedly subjected to brutal physical and mental abuse in Kharigumma village under Dharakote block of Ganjam district, Odisha.
According to police sources and local reports, the victims were transporting three cows from Haripur to Singipur as part of a dowry for their daughter’s marriage when they were stopped by a group of men in Kharigumma.
The attackers reportedly accused the men of being cow smugglers and demanded money. When the victims refused, they were assaulted mercilessly — their heads were partially tonsured, and they were forced to crawl nearly two kilometers along village roads from Kharigumma to Jahada.
The cruelty didn’t stop there. The assailants allegedly forced the men to eat grass and drink contaminated drain water in full public view.
Despite the humiliation and injuries, the victims managed to escape and filed a formal complaint at the Dharakote police station. Police have since admitted the two men to a local hospital for treatment and confirmed that an investigation is underway.
This story was originally published in theobserverpost.com.