A group of upper caste men allegedly beat up a pregnant Dalit woman and her family in Banaskantha district of Gujarat on Saturday for not picking up cow carcasses in their village of Karja. Six of the accused have been arrested under the SC/ST Act, PTI reported.

The First Information Report, filed by her husband Nilesh Ranavasia, said the group belonged to the Darbar community. The woman, Sangeeta Ranavasia, sustained injuries, as did two other family members. She was admitted to Palanpur civil hospital, while the others were discharged after first aid. "They abused me and thrashed me before entering my house and beat my pregnant wife Sangita on the abdomen and all over her person with sticks," Nilesh Ranavasia said in the complaint.

Banaskantha Superintendent of Police Neeraj Badgujar said they reached the village hours later and arrested the accused. The incident led to tension in the village forcing police to tighten security and provide protection to other Dalit families there.

Protests have been held all over Gujarat over the past few months after a group of four Dalit tanners was assaulted by a cow vigilante group in Una in July 11.