In Bareilly district’s Nawabganj area, a Dalit man, Pappu Diwakar, was allegedly subjected to caste-based assault and public humiliation over a financial dispute on Saturday.
According to his complaint to the police, Diwakar had lent ₹4.5 lakh to Chandrasen, a resident of Geltanda village, to buy a tractor. When he asked for the repayment, he was allegedly attacked by Chandrasen, his son Pappu, Godhan Lal, and several others. The accused are said to have beaten him, abused him using caste-based slurs, forcibly shaved his head, cut his moustache and eyebrows, and smeared mud on his face in front of villagers to humiliate him.
Following the complaint, Nawabganj police registered a case under relevant sections of the BNS and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Chandrasen and Godhan Lal have been taken into custody, while efforts are underway to arrest the third-named accused.
Police also noted village claims that Diwakar practises occult rituals and allegedly misled people about buried treasure, which are being examined as part of the investigation. SHO Arun Kumar Srivastava confirmed that a thorough investigation is ongoing.
