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A Dalit family was attacked by a group of men with sticks and rods during a wedding ceremony on Friday night, police said. The attackers reportedly shouted caste-based insults, angry that a Dalit family was using a marriage hall in Rasra, Uttar Pradesh.
Raghvendra Gautam, the brother of one of the injured men, filed the police complaint. He said, “We were celebrating happily when suddenly a group of men stormed in and shouted, ‘How can Dalits hold a wedding in a hall?’ Then they started beating everyone.”
The attack happened at the Swayamvar Marriage Hall around 10:30 p.m. Two people, Ajay Kumar and Manan Kant, were badly hurt and are now in the hospital.
According to the complaint, about 20 men, including Aman Sahni, Deepak Sahni, Rahul, and Akhilesh, led the attack. “They came with sticks and rods and hit us without fear,” Gautam added.
Rasra Police Station in-charge Vipin Singh said, “We have registered a case under the law, including the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. We are investigating the matter.”
So far, no one has been arrested. The police say they are working to catch the attackers.
This incident has shocked the local Dalit community, who are demanding justice. “We just want to celebrate our family events in peace, like everyone else,” said a local resident.
This story was originally published in theobserverpost.com.