Madhya Pradesh: 50-year-old Dalit man allegedly beaten to death over a matchbox in Guna
The accused have been arrested and charged with murder and other sections of the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes Atrocities Act.
Two men beat to death a 50-year-old Dalit farm worker in Karod village of Madhya Pradesh’s Guna district for allegedly not having a matchbox, NDTV reported on Sunday.
The accused – Yash Yadav and Ankesh Yadav – attacked Lalji Ram Ahirwar after he did not give them a matchbox to light up their cigarettes, the police said. “Yash Yadav and Ankesh Yadav attacked Lalji Ram Ahirwar with sticks for denying a matchbox,” Additional Superintendent of Police, TS Baghel said. “He got severely injured and was admitted to Guna district hospital but succumbed to his injuries.”
Denying a matchbox allegedly costed the life of 50 years Lalji Ram Ahirwar in Guna, the accused Yash and Ankesh Yadav sought a matchbox from him to light their cigarettes, when he denied this led to heated exchange and physical attack @ndtv @ndtvindia #DalitLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/sjpFBXBlro
— Anurag Dwary (@Anurag_Dwary) November 29, 2020
The accused have been arrested and booked for murder and provisions under the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes Atrocities Act, reported the New Indian Express. The state government has announced a financial assistance of Rs 8.25 lakh for the victim’s family.
In July this year, Guna had witnessed another tragic incident involving a Dalit farmer couple, who consumed poison in front of police and district administration, in a bid to stop an anti-encroachment drive. The two were hospitalised and discharged after a few days, while the collector of Guna and the superintendent of police were removed from their posts.