Two elderly Dalit men were brutally attacked in Jabrapur village under Fatehganj police station limits on Tuesday evening, allegedly for not greeting a group of men with the customary “Ram-Ram.” The victims, Bhagat Verma (60) and Kallu Shriwas (70), were reportedly working in their fields when they were assaulted with sticks and a knife. Kallu was stabbed while trying to protect Bhagat.
According to the complaint filed by Bhagat’s son, Gangaram, the attackers hurled caste slurs, assaulted the men, and looted ₹500 from one of them. Villagers nearby allegedly remained silent as the incident unfolded. The attackers fled the scene after issuing threats.
Police have registered an FIR under relevant sections of the IPC and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Circle Officer Praveen Kumar, however, told reporters that the number of accused and their alleged links to the late gangster Ambika Patel alias Thokia might be exaggerated. “The case is under investigation, and we are verifying the claims made in the complaint,” he said.
The incident has triggered concern among local Dalit groups, who say the assault reflects the growing assertion of caste hierarchies in rural Uttar Pradesh. Rights activists are demanding an impartial probe and immediate arrest of the accused.
