In a distressing incident, an elderly Dalit couple was reportedly subjected to physical assault and humiliation in Madhya Pradesh’s Ashok Nagar district, as per police statements on Sunday.
The incident unfolded in Kilora village under the jurisdiction of Mungaoli police station on Friday, where the couple, aged 65 and 60 respectively, were allegedly attacked and forced to wear garlands made of shoes. According to officials, the assault was purportedly linked to an eve-teasing incident involving the couple’s son.
Authorities stated that a case has been filed against 10 individuals, who remain at large. The accused reportedly tied the elderly couple to a pole before assaulting them. The victims recently relocated to the village, the police disclosed.
Mungaoli police station in-charge, Gabbar Singh Gurjar, revealed that the couple’s son was allegedly involved in eve-teasing the wife of one of the accused, prompting the Dalit family to leave the village.
Responding to a complaint lodged by the victim woman, the police registered a case against the accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including rioting, unlawful assembly, voluntarily causing hurt, and criminal intimidation. Additionally, provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were invoked.
Authorities confirmed that all the accused individuals are currently evading arrest, and efforts are underway to apprehend them. The incident has sparked widespread condemnation, with demands for swift justice and stringent action against the perpetrators.