A 20-year-old Dalit man, Kamalkant, allegedly committed suicide by setting himself on fire in Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad after being beaten by his employer and associates, police said on Saturday.
On July 6, Kamalkant requested an advance of Rs 60,000 from his employer, Pramod alias Pappu, to repay a loan. Instead of helping, Pramod, along with his associates, held Kamalkant hostage and brutally thrashed him, according to Superintendent of Police (Rural) Ranvijay Singh. A video of the incident has surfaced on social media, adding to the public outrage.
Kamalkant returned home on Tuesday night while his family was away attending a wedding ceremony. In their absence, he set himself on fire, SP Singh reported. Upon returning, his family found him and immediately informed the police.
A case was registered against Pramod and his associates—Bhura, Bholu, Arjun, and Anuj—on Thursday.
Anuj was arrested on Friday, and efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining suspects, SP Singh added.
