Guna Dalit couple beating case: Collector, SP removed

The Madhya Pradesh government has removed Guna District Magistrate S. Vishwanathan and Superintendent of Police Tarun Nayak in the case of a Dalit couple consuming poison after being beaten up by the police personnel who allegedly tried to remove them from a piece of land.

A few days ago, the team which went to remove encroachment on a college land in Cantt police station area of Guna district beat up the Dalit farmer family, after which the farmer couple consumed insecticide. A video of the incident went viral on the social media. In the video, some police personnel could be seen beating a Dalit man and his family members.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has taken the matter very seriously and on Wednesday late night issued orders to remove District Magistrate S. Vishwanathan and Superintendent of Police Tarun Nayak.

Former Chief Minister Kamal Nath has targeted the Shivraj government over the incident. Nath tweeted on Wednesday, "Where is Shivraj government taking the state to? What is this jungle raj? Barbaric lathicharge by policemen of Cantt police station area in Guna." Nath also attached the video of the incident.

He further said, "Even if there is a dispute regarding the land, it can be resolved legally, but in this way taking the law in hand, beating him, his wife, family and innocent children so ruthlessly, where is the justice? Is it because he belongs to a Dalit family, and is a poor farmer?"

Earlier, Home Minister Narottam Mishra ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident.

BJP Rajya Sabha member Jyotiraditya Scindia has also called the incident unfortunate and spoke to Shivraj Singh Chouhan and called for strong action against the insensitive officers.

Meanwhile, collector Vishwanathan said that the land was reserved for a college building and was illegally occupied by local land mafia Gabbu Pardi who gave it to Rajkumar Ahirwar on a share basis. He said Pardi used the Ahirwar family to encroach upon the land.

He also said the condition of the Dalit couple is stable and they are recovering in the hospital.