A Dalit man in Muzaffarnagar was allegedly shot at by a gram pradhan, or village chief, after he was accused of stealing a radish, PTI reported on Monday. The man’s family was also beaten up by the gram pradhan’s accomplices.

Security was tightened and extra police were deployed in the area in the Uttar Pradesh district.

According to the news agency, the incident happened on Sunday when the gram pradhan Anil, his son Nishant and nephew Sarouttem accused Sunil Kumar and his family of stealing a radish from Anil’s fields. When Kumar rejected the allegations, the accused fired at him, Circle Officer Bhushan Verma told PTI.

Kumar was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The police has registered a case against the four accused, all of whom are currently at large.