5 Dalit men attempt suicide to protest cow skinning case

Dalit youths attempted suicide at two places in Rajkot district of Gujarat on Monday to protest the brutal assault on fellow community members for allegedly skinning a dead cow in Una last week.

At Gondal, five Dalit youth –Rajesh Parmar, Ramesh Pardhi, Jagdish Rathod, Bharat Solanki and Anil Maghad –drank poison near Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s statue in the market area of the town. At Jamkandorna, Kishor Solanki (30) and Amrit Parmar (25), tried to commit suicide. All seven are being treated at a hospital in Gondal.

Inspector Vijay Chaudhary said the five youth, who tried to commit suicide in Gondal, had threatened to take such a step and the police had put in place adequate security to prevent it, but they still managed to consume a poisonous substance.

“They were protesting against the brutal assault on Dalit youths in Una town of Gir Somnath district,” he said. 

Deputy Superintendent of Police, Gir Somnath, KM Joshi said nine persons have been arrested in the Una assault case. Inspector NU Zala and three constables have been suspended.

The incident at Una, where four Dalit youth were stripped, paraded and flogged for allegedly skinning a dead cow, caused a nation-wide outrage after its video went viral. The video shows the victims being attacked with iron rods and sticks. The video shows the victims tied to a car, while the accused are beating them up.

In Surendranagar, some 300 Dalits carried a dead cow and held protest outside the office of the Collector. They gave a memorandum to the collector demanding action against the culprits in the Una case.Protests were held in other parts of Gujarat too.

CM Anandiben Patel assured through Twitter that her government was committed to protect Dalits. “We will continue to extend all support to victims. Gujarat government is fully committed to protection and development of weaker sections of society,” she tweeted.

A minister and a parliamentary secretary had visited the spot and Rs 1 lakh compensation had been sanctioned to the victims, Patel said.