In the Pali district of Rajasthan a Dalit boy was thrashed by a group of saffron clad men after he allegedly tried to enter a local temple. A preliminary investigation has revealed that the incident took place in Dhaneriya village of Pali district on June 1. Reports suggest that the victim’s uncle filed a complaint with the police two days later. However, a video of the brutal assault is being widely circulated on social media.
https://twitter.com/ambedkariteIND/status/1135537003393454080
In the video which was shot by a bystander, the men can be seen thrashing the boy who has been tied with a rope in a bid to stop him from escaping. The boy can be seen pleading for mercy, screaming that he would not enter the temple in question again. However, his pleas do little or nothing to dissuade the assailants from beating the boy.
Dhaneria, the place where the incident took place, is a village located about a hundred kilometres from the district headquarters of Pali district and falls under the limit of the Ras Police Station.
Raj:Minor boy in Pali beaten up by locals allegedly for molesting a girl. Police,"Case registered under POCSO Act against him.After probe,he has been sent to juvenile protection home.A viral video has come to light where locals are seen beating him, they've been taken on remand." pic.twitter.com/SC1dz38i2K
— ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2019
However the police officials maintain that the boy allegedly molested a minor girl and has been booked under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The assailants were also taken into custody.
The Quint reported that according to the Pali police the boy was caught in a compromising position with the daughter of the temple’s priest following which the priest accused him of molesting his daughter.
Speaking to The Quint, Anand Sharma, SP Pali said that the boy was taken into custody after the priest registered a case against him and the girl (who is also minor) gave a statement that the boy tried to force himself on her.
Sharma added that the boy was detained and sent to the juvenile board. He also said that the boy didn’t mention that he was thrashed by these men when he was detained.
