A disturbing case of caste-based violence has been reported from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, where a drunken argument between two friends turned into a assault.
According to the police, Balveer Valmiki and Vijay Sharma, both residents of Mahavir Colony, were friends. On Sunday afternoon, Vijay allegedly invited Balveer to drink near Badanpura on Tighra Road. The two consumed alcohol together, but as evening fell, an argument erupted between them.
Vijay reportedly began hurling casteist slurs, saying, “You belong to a lower caste; you have no right to drink with me.” When Balveer protested, Vijay’s anger escalated he allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed Balveer in the neck. When the victim collapsed, bleeding heavily, Vijay picked up a large stone and struck him on the head before fleeing the spot.
Balveer remained unconscious throughout the night until passersby discovered him the next morning and alerted the police. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors said his condition is now stable but that he sustained deep wounds to his neck and skull.
Based on Balveer’s statement, police registered a case and launched a search operation. Acting on the directions of Station Officer Ratnambar Shukla, a team arrested the accused Vijay Sharma near his home.
This is not an isolated incident. In October, a Dalit driver from Gwalior had alleged that three men kidnapped, assaulted, and forced him to drink urine in Bhind district. Just days earlier, another Dalit youth was reportedly urinated on in Katni for protesting against illegal mining.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2023 data, crimes against Scheduled Castes continue to rise nationwide, with 57,789 cases registered last year, marking an increase from 2022. Madhya Pradesh recorded 8,232 such cases, placing it among the top three states for caste-related crimes, after Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
