Police said the victims, Babula Nayak (54) and Bulu Nayak (42) of Singipur, were transporting two cows and a calf from Harior to their village in an auto rickshaw when a group of cow vigilantes caught them at Kharigumma and accused them of cattle smuggling.
ओडिशा में दो दलितों को पीटा, नाली का पानी पिलाया, बाल काटे, मवेशियों का चारा खाने को किया मजबूर
Police in Odisha’s Ganjam district on Monday claimed that two Dalits were shorn of their hair, beaten up and forced to walk on their knees and eat cattle fodder on suspicion of being cattle smugglers.
The incident took place at Jahda in Kharigumma village under Dharakote police station area on Sunday. A purported video of the incident went viral, triggering widespread outrage in political and social circles. However, the authenticity of the video has not been confirmed.
Police said the victims, Babula Nayak (54) and Bulu Nayak (42) of Singipur, were ferrying two cows and a calf in an auto from Harior to their village when a group of cow vigilantes at Kharigumma caught them and accused them of cattle smuggling.
The mob allegedly demanded Rs 30,000 from the duo. When the victims refused, they were thrashed and subjected to humiliating behaviour, police said. “They were taken to a salon and half of their heads were shaved off,” a police official said.
“They were then forced to walk on their knees for over a kilometre, eat cattle feed and drink drain water,” the official said.
Ganjam Superintendent of Police Suvendu Kumar Patra said a case has been registered and the police have detained at least six people in connection with the case.
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