Village Leader's Assault on Dalit Laborers Sparks Outrage

A village head and his son allegedly assaulted Dalit laborers in Tulsi Chak village, halting a pipeline project under India's Jal Jeevan Mission. The workers were attacked for continuing their work despite the village head's objections. Legal actions have been initiated against the accused.

A village head and his son are facing legal action after allegedly assaulting Dalit laborers in Tulsi Chak village during a government pipeline project. The incident, disclosed by the local police, reflects tensions surrounding community development projects.

On February 28, Superintendent of Police Abhimanyu Manglik reported that the altercation arose as laborers started excavation under the Jal Jeevan Mission. Confronted by village head Lalji Yadav and his son Pankaj, the workers were questioned about their authorization. Despite providing official confirmation, some workers were compelled to halt their activity.

However, laborers Ravish Kumar Gautam, Ajay Kumar, and Shiv Chand defied the order and continued their task. This led to an altercation with the accused, who reportedly used tools as weapons to assault the trio. The incident has sparked a legal response, with charges filed under multiple provisions, including the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Authorities are actively searching for the fugitives.

(With inputs from agencies.)