Ahmedabad: Castist goons attack Dalit man for ‘sporting moustache’

Image Courtesy:indianexpress.com

A shamefull act of caste-based violence played out at Ahmedabad’s Viramgam Taluka where a 11 people attacked a Dalit man because he was “sporting a long moustache”. Suresh Vaghela (22), the victim who belongs to the Scheduled Caste, alleged in his police complaint that he was attacked by 11 people belonging to an Other Backward Classes (OBC) group. His ‘fault’ according to the mob was “sporting a moustache”.

Vaghela was admitted to Shiv Hospital late Sunday night. He had suffered a head injury in the attack, Deputy Superintendent of Police DS Vyas told media persons. Suresh Vaghela, according to a report in The Indian Express, is from Karakthal village and works with Voltas in Sanand GIDC area of Ahmedabad.

Vaghela recalls the attack in his police complaint saying, “Around 10 pm on Sunday night, my parents went to sleep after dinner and I received a call from Dhama Bhai who asked me why I was sporting a moustache. Within a few minutes, Dhamabhai and nine others came to my house with sticks and rods. They used derogatory language against me and assaulted me. I was later taken to a primary health centre for first aid and then admitted to Shiv hospital.” He later told media persons, “I had no enmity with the people who assaulted me. They just called me and asked why I was sporting a moustache.”

Vaghela, said that the mob had him for sporting the moustache and issued death threats, reported the Ahmedabad Mirror. They allegedly beat up Vaghela’s family members as well. Once the mob left, an ambulance was called in and Vaghela and his sister were rushed to Viramgam government hospital, stated the news report, adding that their father has also suffered minor injuries. The report quoted Vaghela as saying, “I have been sporting a moustache for quite some time now. I had been living elsewhere since the place was closer to my office. I returned to my village last December. The accused would often stare at me angrily and taunt me when I would pass by. I ignored everything but when they assaulted my family, I decided to call the cops.”

Police have lodged an FIR in the case on Monday against “six named and four unnamed people” who have been charged under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) Prevention of Atrocities Act. The accused have been identified as Dhama Thakor, Kaushik Valand, Atrik Thakor, Sanjay Thakor, Anand Thakor and Vijay Thakor, all residents of Karakthal village, stated the news report.

This is not the first incident reported from the state, where divides on caste and religion run deep. On rare occasion, the law catches up with the attackers. In April this year, a Bhavnagar court has convicted three men for assaulting in 2013 Dalit farmer and RTI activist Amrabhai Boricha with swords. The court sentenced them to 5 years in prison, and acquitted the eight other accused due to lack of evidence. Notably, the three convicts in the 2013 case, Jayrajsinh Gohil, Bhaylubha Gohil and Virmadevsinh Jadeja are also accused in the murder of Boricha, who was hacked to death, reportedly, by a mob of men at his home in Sanodar village of Ghogha taluka in Bhavnagar earlier this year. On March 2, the assailants barged in with spear, iron pipes and swords and hacked Boricha to death. It is believed this attack was in response to a complaint filed in court against the Kshatriyas usurping his land.