In a disturbing incident that has sent shockwaves across Uttar Pradesh, a 60-year-old Dalit man was subjected to brutal humiliation and forced to lick the ground after he accidentally urinated near a temple in Chandauli district.
The horrific episode unfolded on Tuesday when the elderly man, identified as a member of the Dalit community, was returning from work and needed to relieve himself. Unaware of the temple's proximity, he urinated in an open area that happened to be near the religious site.
Brutal Humiliation and Public Shaming
What followed was nothing short of nightmare for the senior citizen. Local residents, upon discovering what had happened, allegedly dragged the man and subjected him to unimaginable degradation.
"The perpetrators not only verbally abused him but forced him to lick the very ground where the incident occurred," revealed a police official familiar with the case.
Swift Police Action Brings Some Justice
Following the registration of a formal complaint, Chandauli police acted promptly, arresting the main accused in the case. The authorities have invoked relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code along with the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Local authorities have assured that the investigation is ongoing and more arrests are likely as they identify other individuals involved in this heinous act of caste-based violence.
Broader Pattern of Caste Discrimination
This incident highlights the persistent challenge of caste-based discrimination that continues to plague certain regions of India, despite stringent laws and decades of social reform movements.
Human rights activists have pointed to this case as yet another example of how Dalit communities remain vulnerable to extreme forms of violence and humiliation for what are often minor infractions or simple mistakes.
The case has sparked outrage among civil society groups and prompted calls for stronger implementation of anti-discrimination laws and more effective measures to protect marginalized communities across Uttar Pradesh and beyond.
