Bhim Army claims Chandrashekhar assaulted inside jail

The office-bearers of the Bhim Army gheraoed the office of the district magistrate in Saharanpur alleging that the outfit's founder Chandrasekhar was assaulted inside a jail here.

They also submitted a memorandum to administrative officials on Thursday and demanded necessary action and an unbiased investigation into their charges.

The mother of Bhim Army’s district unit president Kamal Walia said if “innocent people” of the Dalit outfit were attacked they would not sit silent.

The office-bearers sought an early resolution of the issue and warned of launching a stir if their demands were not met.

Chandrashekhar, a lawyer by profession and founder of Bhim Army, was arrested on June 8 by the Special Task Force of Uttar Pradesh Police from Himachal Pradesh’s Dalhousie in connection with his alleged role in the violence in Saharanpur.

Working as a social activist and himself a victim of caste discrimination, Chandrashekhar is considered to have given a new direction to the fight for Dalit rights. He organised blood donation camps and ran coaching centres also.

An ardent champion of education for Dalits, Chandrashekhar and his childhood friend Vinay Ratna Singh managed to open 350 pathshalas in Saharanpur and adjoining areas in a short span of two years.

For upper castes in Saharanpur, he is the root cause of trouble, but for Dalits, he is the new rising Dalit icon and a messiah of sorts.

He had shot to limelight after holding a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against violence on Dalits in Saharanpur.

Earlier, two members of the Bhim Army were arrested in Saharanpur for their alleged involvement in the Ramnagar caste violence on May 9 after a person was killed and several others were injured in a clash between Dalits and Thakurs at Shabbirpur village on May 5.

About a dozen police vehicles were set ablaze and 12 policemen were injured in subsequent violence on May 9.

With inputs from PTI