On Tuesday, February 21, an agitated Muslim mob reportedly assaulted the wedding procession (Baraat) of a Dalit youth in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur. The baraatis were reportedly beaten by the village head (sarpanch) as the procession passed. An attempt to stop the DJ from playing during the procession was what ignited the dispute.
Three persons have been hurt in the fight and are receiving medical treatment at a nearby hospital. One of the injured is in critical condition.
Moreover, the assailants are accused of trampling on Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar’s picture. A case has been registered by the police, and an investigation has been initiated.
According to media reports, the matter pertains to Sablana village under Kaman police station limits. On the day of the incident, there was a wedding of Aarti, the sister of Mukesh Jatav. The family belongs to the Scheduled Caste community. The procession had left the nearby Jurhara police station area and travelled from the village of Naunera. Mukesh alleged that the baraatis were coming towards his house while playing DJ when some Muslim youths namely Nadeem, Sohil, Mausam, Jamshed, Afroz, Dhoni, Mustakeem, Salman, Sabba, Faizan, Mulla, and Munfed from the same Sablana village asked the baraatis to stop the DJ. This led to an argument between the two parties. When the accused saw the photograph of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar in the procession, they threw it down and crushed it with their feet.
Mukesh claims that during this argument, the accused assaulted the baraatis. Together with the sticks and rods in their hands, the assailants also used sharp objects like axes during the attack. Two of the attackers also stole the currency notes pasted on the garland that was around the groom’s neck. It is said that the garland included notes totalling 11,000 rupees. The perpetrators also snatched 32 thousand rupees kept in the pocket of Mukesh Jatav, the bride’s brother.
Mukesh, the victim, said that a sizable crowd gathered at the scene as a result of the uproar. The attackers then fled the spot. While leaving, the accused youths also threatened to kill the victim if he dared to take legal action against them. The victims said that the accused also stole gold jewellery during the attack. It is also said that the Muslims in the village were harassing the Dalits long before this. Also, the attackers have threatened to face the same consequences if a wedding procession again passes from the village.
Three members of the Dalit community, including the complainant Mukesh Jatav, were injured in the incident. It has been said that the condition of Naresh, one of the victims is critical. The police have filed a case against the accused under the SC/ST Act and sections 143, 341, 323, 336, 379, 506, and 504 of the IPC in accordance with the victim’s complaint. Police have launched a search to nab the absconding accused.
It is pertinent to note that a similar case in Kaman village was reported last year wherein several Muslims attacked a Dalit groom, his family, and other family members in April 2022 because the DJ was performing at a wedding. The accused forbade members of the Dalit community from playing DJ, stopped them from doing the wedding ritual known as Binawra, and thrashed them with sticks.
