Two Dalit men, Bikram Bhoi and Dinesh Bhoi, were publicly humiliated and assaulted in Odisha’s Cuttack district after being accused of stealing goats. The incident, which occurred on December 27, surfaced recently when a video of the act went viral, sparking widespread outrage.
Bikram and Dinesh, both in their 30s, were accused of stealing two goats from the Gobindpur area. As they attempted to flee, villagers caught them near a bridge in Bareida village, located in neighbouring Jagatsinghpur district.
The villagers tied the men’s hands, hung shoes around their necks, tonsured their heads publicly, and beat them with sticks and slippers. A villager recorded the incident, which was later circulated on social media.
Following the incident, the goat owners filed a theft complaint at Gobindpur police station, leading to charges being filed against Bikram and Dinesh.
Simultaneously, Bikram’s father, Bilash Chandra Bhoi, lodged an FIR on January 1 at Biridi police station against the villagers responsible for the violent humiliation.
The inspector in charge of Biridi police station, Sabyasachi Rout, confirmed the filing of the FIR and said, “A case has been registered against seven persons. The investigation is underway, but no arrests have been made yet.”
