Dalit Man Playing Ravan Loses Eyesight After Arrow Strike in UP Ramlila Performance
A 35-year-old Dalit man, who was portraying the character of Ravan in a Ramlila performance in Uttar Pradesh's Sonbhadra district, has tragically lost his eyesight after being struck in the right eye by an arrow. The arrow was allegedly fired by a local youth playing the role of Lord Ram during the enactment.
Incident Details and FIR Registration
The unfortunate incident occurred on November 13 last year, which marked the final day of the Ramlila celebrations. However, the victim's family managed to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) at the Shahganj police station only recently, on Thursday. The FIR names both the youth, Naitik Pandey, who was acting as Lord Ram, and the Ramlila organiser, Ramsnehi Singh, as accused in the case.
According to the complaint, Naitik Pandey, who was performing the role of Lord Ram for the first time, deliberately shot the arrow at the eye of the victim, Sunil Kumar, out of malice and jealousy. The victim's brother, Shivamlal Kumar, has alleged that the organiser, Ramsnehi Singh, was also involved in the incident, leading to his inclusion as a co-accused.
Violation of Safety Protocols
The victim, Sunil Kumar, who has been associated with Ramlila performances for many years and has regularly portrayed Ravan for the past eight years, provided detailed insights into the incident. He explained that during the enactment, Lord Ram was supposed to shoot a wooden arrow at Ravan, aiming only at the crown placed on Ravan's head. However, Naitik Pandey did not use the arrow provided by the Ramlila organising committee.
Instead, he brought a special type of arrow that was pointed and made of hardwood. Furthermore, while only a single arrow was to be shot, Pandey fired several arrows from a distance of about five feet. One of these arrows struck Sunil Kumar's right eye, causing immediate bleeding and severe injury.
Medical and Financial Consequences
Following the incident, Sunil Kumar was rushed to a hospital where he received medical treatment. He has since undergone surgery twice, but he still cannot see from his right eye. His treatment is ongoing at a private hospital in Varanasi, and he has spent a significant portion of his savings on medical expenses. Compounding his plight, he lost his job, which was on a contractual basis with the municipal corporation, and is now entirely dependent on his three brothers for financial support and family care.
Allegations of Casteist Abuse and Threats
The complainant alleged that the day after the incident, he approached Ramsnehi Singh to discuss responsibility for medical expenses, given that the performers were under his supervision. However, both Singh and Pandey reportedly abused him, used filthy and casteist remarks, refused to bear any medical expenses, and threatened to kill him. This has added a layer of caste-based discrimination to the case.
Legal Actions and Police Investigation
So far, no arrests have been made in connection with the case. The police have filed the case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 125 (Act endangering life or personal safety of others), 351 (criminal intimidation), and 352 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace). Additionally, different sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have been invoked against the accused, highlighting the serious nature of the allegations involving caste-based atrocities.
Ram Singhasan, the Station House Officer of Shahganj police station, stated that the investigation would be transferred to Circle Officer Rahul Pandey. The delay in filing the complaint was attributed to the victim's immediate medical treatment needs, with his brother later pursuing the matter to ensure the FIR was registered.
