Dalit shopkeeper thrashed by upper caste men in Mainpuri

Agra: A 35-year-old dalit shopkeeper was brutally beaten up by two upper caste men who refused to pay for the goods that they bought from his makeshift shop in Nagla Bhupati village on Monday.

According to police the suspects, Kallan and Pappan Thakur were booked after , Lankesh Kumar (Nat)’s Amlesh Devi filed a complaint against them. In her complaint, she has alleged that the duo mercilessly thrashed her husband when he demanded money for the goods they bought from his shop.

She has further alleged that after beating him, they took him to the police station and lodged a false complaint against him for picking their pockets.

Amlesh also alleged that rather than taking action against the suspects, the police personnel handed her husband over to the “Thakurs” who again thrashed him. She claimed that Lankesh was not even in a position to come to the police station to lodge a complaint.

A case was registered against the suspects after Samajwadi party MLA Brijesh Katheria staged a protest at Kusmura chowki around 11:30pm on Monday. He accused the police of bias and alleged that the “Thakurs” were being shielded by the cops.

Superintendent of Police (SP), Mainpuri, Rajesh S, said that a case has been registered under Sections 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation) and SC/ST Act against three persons including Kallan and Pappan Thakur. Both are presently absconding.

The SP admitted that the policemen had faulted by not registering a case, as no one had the right to beat anyone. If they had a complaint against Lankesh, they should have approached the police rather than taking the law in their own hands, he said.

He said that an inquiry has also been marked against Kusmura police chowki staff for not taking any action against the culprits. He said, if upper caste men are not nabbed within four days, action would be taken against the chowki in charge also.

Source: Times Of India