A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker has been taken into custody in Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia district for allegedly attacking a Dalit engineer inside his office by striking him with a shoe, PTI reported.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday, was captured on video and quickly spread across social media. The footage shows a tense verbal altercation between Lal Singh, a superintending engineer in the electricity department, and several men, after which Singh is visibly assaulted with a shoe.
Superintendent of Police Omveer Singh stated that in his complaint, Lal Singh alleged that a man identified as Munna Bahadur, along with a few unidentified persons, barged into his office without permission.
Bahadur, according to district BJP president Sanjay Mishra, is both a party member and a former office-bearer.
The complaint further mentions that Bahadur and his associates used casteist insults before physically assaulting Singh with kicks, punches, and a shoe.
They also allegedly vandalised office documents and threatened to kill Singh and his family if he chose to pursue legal action.
Police have booked Bahadur and the others involved under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita as well as the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The superintendent confirmed that Bahadur has been arrested and further investigation is in progress.
Prior to his arrest, Bahadur told reporters that he had gone to the engineer’s office to submit a memorandum regarding power-related grievances from his locality.
He claimed, however, that the official used abusive language against him. Bahadur further alleged that he himself was attacked and sustained injuries.
The incident has drawn sharp political reactions.
The Congress party condemned the assault, saying, “BJP goons in Ballia had turned the law into a ‘farce’.” The party added on X, “In [Chief Minister] Yogi Adityanath’s government, there is no rule of law; instead, BJP leaders’ whims and anarchy reign supreme. The administration has bowed down before these political goons. If this unrestrained thuggery is not reined in in time, they will plunge the entire society into the fire of anarchy.”
The Trinamool Congress also lashed out at the ruling party, asserting that BJP leaders were “emboldened” to “unleash savagery on Dalits in broad daylight” with the assurance that neither the police nor the system would act against them.
“This is a party that hides behind empty slogans of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ while trampling Dalits with boots and fists,” the party said on X.
TMC further remarked, “Until BJP is uprooted, Dalits will remain under assault, democracy will remain hostage, and India will remain shackled to caste tyranny.”
Courtesy : Maktoob Media
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