Despite Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s repeated claims of strong law and order in the state, a shocking incident from Hamirpur district has raised serious questions about the police’s functioning. Police registered a case only after 12 days and that too following the intervention of senior officers.
The incident took place in the Sumerpur area of Hamirpur, where a Dalit youth was allegedly humiliated and assaulted by a group of upper-caste men. The accused, angry over an old dispute involving the tearing of a photo of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, allegedly forced the victim to lick their shoes and later beat him so badly that one of his hands was fractured.
According to reports, the incident happened on October 5. The victim, identified as Umesh Babu Verma from Simnaudi village, said he had gone to the market when he was stopped by Abhay Singh and two unidentified men sitting by the roadside. “They started abusing me with casteist slurs, forced me to lick their shoes, and then attacked me. They broke my hand,” Umesh said.
He claimed that he repeatedly approached the local police for help, but his complaints were ignored. “I went to the police station several times, but they did not listen to me,” he said. Frustrated, he then met Superintendent of Police Dr. Deeksha Sharma and narrated the entire incident.
Following her directions, police finally registered a case against Abhay Singh and two others under sections related to assault and atrocities against Dalits. “A case has been registered based on the victim’s complaint, and an investigation is underway,” said Sumerpur Station House Officer Anup Singh.
The delay in filing the FIR has sparked outrage among locals, who say the case exposes how caste-based violence is still being ignored by local authorities. The victim’s family has demanded immediate arrest of the accused and strict action against police officials who initially refused to register the case.
