Five persons arrested in connection with Dalit death in Uttarakhand

The Uttarakhand Police on Tuesday said five persons have been arrested in connection with the death of a Dalit youth who was allegedly beaten up for eating at a wedding party sitting across from people of an upper caste in Tehri.

The incident had occurred at Shrikot area on April 26 when Jitendra was allegedly beaten up for daring to sit on a chair.

Jeetendra was critically injured and died at a hospital in Dehradun after nine days of treatment. The next day when Jitendra's health deteriorated he was rushed to a Dehradun hospital where he died on May 4.

On the basis of a police complaint filed by Jeetendra’s sister, a case was registered against seven persons — Gajendra Singh, Soban Singh, Kushal Singh, Gabbar Singh, Gambhir Singh, Harbir Singh and Hukum Singh — under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

"We have so far arrested five persons in connection with the death of a Dalit youth," said Tehri Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Yogendra Singh Rawat.

The police though is yet to receive a post mortem report, Rawat added.

Jitendra was cremated late on Monday after his family members were assured by the district administration that action would be taken against those responsible.