A Dalit youth, Omprakash Meghwal, was allegedly subjected to casteist abuse and physical assault in Kantia village of Nagaur district after drinking water from a pot placed outside a grocery store.
The incident took place on Sunday evening when Omprakash, a resident of Aau village, stopped near the shop with a friend while heading to a relative’s function. Using a metal tumbler, he drank water from the pot kept outside the store. Soon after, the shop owner Kaluram Jat and two others — Narsiram and another man also named Omprakash — confronted him, demanding his name and caste.
Upon learning that Omprakash belonged to a Scheduled Caste, the men reportedly hurled casteist slurs, beat him, and threatened to kill him. Despite Omprakash’s attempt to calm the situation by cleaning the pot with sand, the abuse continued, forcing him to flee to a relative’s home.
Later that night, the accused allegedly returned in a camper vehicle, circling the locality repeatedly and dragging the vehicle’s tyres to intimidate residents. This caused panic among the largely poor Dalit families in the village.
Omprakash filed a police complaint the following day. A team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Rampratap Vishnoi visited Kantia, but the accused had fled. After a search, police detained all three suspects. Nagaur Superintendent of Police Narayan Togas confirmed that the accused have been booked under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and other relevant charges. A detailed investigation is underway.
The victim’s family alleges initial police reluctance to act, with local authorities remaining silent even as the case gained traction on social media. It was only after widespread public pressure and a viral video that the police took decisive action. On Tuesday, local police avoided answering reporters’ questions clearly.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage. Azad Samaj Party chief and Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad condemned the attack, calling it a stark reminder of persistent caste discrimination in India. “In Kantia village, Dalit youths were abused, humiliated, and forced to clean utensils just for drinking water. This isn’t a mere dispute—it’s a reflection of systemic, centuries-old hatred,” he said. “Does a Dalit still not have the right to drink water?”
This case draws parallels with a 2022 incident in Jalore, where a Dalit student was beaten to death by a schoolteacher for drinking water from a pot reserved for upper castes.
This story was originally published in theobserverpost.com.