Dalit activist beaten up, forced to drink urine in MP

A 33-year-old Dalit Right to Information (RTI) activist was allegedly beaten up and forced to drink urine by seven people after he sought information related to a village panchayat in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior district, police said on Monday.

After initial treatment in a hospital here, the severely injured victim, Shashikant Jatav, was shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, for further treatment, an official said.

Two of the accused have been arrested following the incident, which took place on February 23, the police said.

Jatav had sought information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act about Barhi village panchayat under Panihar police station area, Additional Superintendent of Police Jayraj Kuber said quoting the complaint lodged by the victim.

Angry over this, Barhi sarpanch's husband, panchayat secretary and others called him to the village panchayat office on February 23.

The victim was first locked up in a room and then allegedly thrashed severely by the accused, who also made casteist remarks against him. According to the victim, the accused also allegedly forced him to drink urine from a shoe, the official said.

Jatav was initially admitted to the Jayarogya Hospital and Medical College here and later referred to the AIIMS in Delhi for further treatment, he said, adding that an official will be sent to national capital to record the victim's statement.

The police registered a case against seven persons under Indian Penal Code sections for attempt to murder and abduction, and provisions of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of atrocities) Act, he said.

More penal provisions could be added in the case after the victim's statement, he said.

The seven accused have been identified as Asha Kaurav, Sanjay Kaurav, Dhamu, Bhura, Gautam, Vivek Sharma and Sarnam Singh, the official said