Rajkumar Thukral, BJP MLA from Rudrapur, Uttarakhand has been booked for allegedly beating up three Dalit women. The video of Thukral abusing the women has gone viral on social media. It was during a tussle between the families of a minor boy and a minor girl when Thukral reportedly lost his cool.

Thukral has termed this incident as a conspiracy to malign his image.

FIR registered

The FIR against Thukral is registered under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentionally insulting) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

According to the FIR, on March 9, Thukral called for a “panchayat” at his residence in Rudrapur, to resolve an issue between two families.

Allegedly, a minor boy from one of the families had eloped with a minor girl from another family.

A video which has gone viral on social media platforms, shows Thukral hitting the minor boy’s mother and his two sisters. Reportedly, Thukral also blurted out casteist slur.

In a video that has gone viral, #Uttarakhand #BJP MLA from Rudrapur seat, Rajkumar Thukral, can be spotted abusing & beating up Dalit women @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/COzwiCmNGg

— Kavita (@Cavieta) March 11, 2018

It was after this incident that the minor boy’s father Ram Kishor filed a complaint with the Rudrapur Police Station.

Udham Singh Nagar district’s Senior Superintendent of Police Sadananda Date told The Indian Express, ”The police hasn’t concluded anything yet. We are currently in the process of collecting and verifying evidence in the case.”

On March 11, BJP sent a notice to Thukral, who has been serving a second term as the Rudrapur BJP MLA. Uttarakhand BJP president Ajay Bhatt told The Indian Express, ”The party (BJP) has served a notice to Rajkumar Thukral regarding the issue where he has been given 10 days to respond to the allegations of beating up Dalit women. In the notice, we have clearly mentioned that an MLA must be careful with his conduct. Depending on the police findings and the MLA’s reply to the notice, the party will take appropriate action.”

Thukral alleges the incident to be a conspiracy to malign his image

When Thukral was asked about the whole incident, he told the media that this was a conspiracy to malign his image. He said, ”After a minor boy absconded with a minor girl, the two families visited my house (on March 9) to sort out the matter. During the meeting, the two families started fighting with each other. I had to intrude to keep the situation under control, and that’s what can be seen in the video.”

Calling it a conspiracy, he said, ”It is a conspiracy to malign my image by making false allegations.”