New Delhi: A Dalit man was beaten to death in the Indian state of Gujarat by a group of men for allegedly watching people dance as they celebrated the Hindu festival of Dussehra, according to police officials.
Jayesh Solanki, 21, and his cousin Prakash were attacked when they went to watch Garba, a folk dance performed during the nine-day Hindu festival.
“We have arrested eight persons for allegedly beating to death Jayesh Solanki in Borsad town of the district,” local police superintendent Anand Saurabh Singh told media.
Police said they had received a complaint from the victim’s cousin Prakash, who said one of the men demanded to know why they were watching the dance performance.
“He told us how dare you come here,” Solanki alleged in the complaint, reported. “We told him that we came to watch the Garba because our sisters and daughters were participating. But he started abusing us.”
The complaint goes on to say the man left and returned with seven others, one of whom slapped Prakash. When he tried to intervene, he was dragged away and beaten.
The men allegedly flung him against a wall causing him to lose consciousness. But they continued to beat him, according to the complainant.
Jayesh was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
