Four persons have been arrested for allegedly assaulting a Dalit groom during his wedding procession in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar district, as per police reports.
The incident unfolded on Monday afternoon in Chadasana village, where the accused targeted the Dalit groom, Vikas Chavda, hurling casteist abuses at him while he rode a horse as part of the procession, stated an official from Mansa police station on Tuesday.
According to a complaint lodged by the groom’s cousin, Sanjay Chavda, the procession, consisting of around 100 participants, was en route to the bride’s residence in the village when a motorcyclist intercepted the groom, forcibly dismounted him from the horse, and slapped him.
The accused allegedly spewed casteist slurs, objecting to the groom’s participation in the horse ride, claiming it was reserved solely for members of their community.
Three additional individuals joined the altercation, verbally abusing and threatening the groom, compelling him to abandon the horse and proceed to the bride’s house in a four-wheeler, as per the FIR.
The four accused individuals—identified as Sailesh Thakore, Jayesh Thakore, Samir Thakore, and Ashwin Thakore, all belonging to the OBC community—have been apprehended, confirmed the police official.
They face charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including wrongful restraint, causing hurt, intentional insult, criminal intimidation, and relevant provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
