A disturbing incident has emerged from Madhya Pradesh’s Seoni district where Dalit community members were brutally assaulted by upper-caste Hindu men for merely participating in a local religious event. According to reports, the victims had attended a bhajan gathering organized in the village, which allegedly irked members of the dominant caste.
The assault reportedly took place on June 23, when Dalit men and women, including children, were beaten with sticks and verbally abused. Several victims sustained serious injuries and had to be hospitalized. Eyewitnesses claim the attack was premeditated, and the accused had warned the Dalits earlier against “crossing social boundaries.”
Local police have filed a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and are currently investigating the matter. However, community members say that such caste-based violence is a recurring issue in the region and that they fear for their safety and dignity.
Dalit rights groups have condemned the incident and demanded swift justice and protection for the victims. They also called on the state and central governments to take stronger action against caste-based discrimination and violence, which continues to plague many parts of India despite legal safeguards.
