About 60 km from Nagaur, we saw a police jeep. Before we could ask, a police officer in the jeep pointed to the right and our car took a turn.
After travelling about 2 km on the unpaved road, we saw some more police officers. One of them told us to move ahead on a gravel road. After walking about one and a half km, hundreds of vehicles and people were seen.
In Sonnagar village of Bhojas Gram Panchayat, situated amidst the dunes, at least five hundred vehicles were parked in a cumin field of the two Dalit cousins who were brutally beaten up and petrol soaked screwdriver inserted in the private parts of one of them.
The tent has been set up for people who were coming to the house of victims. Tea was boiling on the gas stove outside the house, which was burning for the last two days. For the family which earns its livelihood through farming and daily wage labour, the cost of tea was also a burden. But thanks to their distant relatives who came forward and borne the cost.
As we entered the house of two huts and two cement rooms built a year ago, victims Visaram (24) and Pannaram (18) were seen sitting.
The women of the family are crying intermittently towards the huts. One of them is Visaram’s seven-month-old girl. Sohni, her mother is distressed and grieving in pain and is unable to feed her after seeing the victimisation of her husband.
With the crowd of journalists, lawyers surrounding the victims, Visaram narrated the horrifying tale. ‘On February 16, at around 2.30 pm, I and Pannaram had gone to Karnu village to get my Hero Deluxe Bike serviced. I had purchased the bike eight months ago. There are two installments left of my bike which the agency’s owner asked for. I said, after harvesting, I will pay the entire amount with interest. After this, they abused me with casteist words and accused us of stealing â¹50,000.’
Visaram further stated that the miscreants didn’t stop after beating them near the cash counter. ‘Hanuman Singh took me behind the service centre. Bheem Singh was standing on both my legs and made me lie down. Aidan Singh and Sawai Singh held my hands and Lichman Singh stood on my back. After this, Hanuman Singh tied a cloth on a screwdriver and drenched it with petrol and inserted it in my private parts.’
The accused then threatened the two brothers, not to tell anyone about the incident. They later called Visaram’s elder brothers, who later came and took them home.
On the question of not giving immediate information to the police, Visaram said, ‘I was very scared. If the video had not gone viral on February 19, I would have never filed a complaint.’
Meanwhile, Revenue Minister Harish Chaudhary and Social Justice and Empowerment Minister of Rajasthan reached the house to meet the victims. They talked to the victims in a closed room for about two hours.
Visaram’s father, Jagdeesh told The Logical Indian that the accused had also taken money from him. ‘The accused have also charged me a fine of â¹5100 for alleged theft by my children. We paid the fine by borrowing money from our neighbours.’
An FIR has been filed on behalf of the accused of stealing Visasram and Pannaram. In the complaint filed by Hanuman Singh, the main accused in the case, the two cousins are accused of stealing â¹50,000. He also wrote that he had caught the two red-handed.
Nagaur Superintendent of Police Vikas Pathak told The Logical Indian that ‘the police have seen the CCTV footage of the service centre. However, this amount has not been recovered yet.
On the delay in registering the FIR and the allegations of racism on the SHO, SP Pathak said, ‘On February 18, our IT team first saw the video and gave us information. On February 19, shortly after the complaint was filed, five accused were arrested. Since the SHO and the accused belong to the same caste, anyone can make any allegation, but the police have not committed any offence.’
Medical Report Says Victim Seriously Injured
Visaram’s medical report has revealed the brutality of the incident. ‘He has got bruises on the backside of thorax, on the upper part of the buttock, and the backside of his right thigh,’ said Dr Mahavir Goyal, who conducted the medical examination, adding that there are many blue marks due to beating on the body of the victim. Medical took place at Pt JLN State Hospital, Nagaur. The report also revealed that the injuries were three to four days old.
The Case So Far?
The Police registered an FIR on 19 February. Shortly thereafter five accused were arrested. A total of nine accused have been arrested in the case so far. One accused is still absconding. The court has sent all the arrested accused to 14-day judicial custody.
On February 21, the victims have been given â¹50,000 rupees as compensation. National SC-ST Commission Deputy Chairman L Murugan also met the victims reaching Sonnagar on 23 February. On the victims’ request, the government has offered jobs to both of them on a contract basis.
The victims had also asked the removal SHO of Pachauri Police station Rajp…
