A 65-year-old Dalit man named Rampal was allegedly humiliated and assaulted near the Sheetla Mata Temple in Kakori town, Lucknow, after he reportedly urinated by accident due to a chronic illness. The accused, Swamikant alias Pammu, allegedly forced Rampal to lick the urine, made him clean the spot, and verbally abused him with casteist slurs.
The victim later filed a police complaint, resulting in the arrest of the accused under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and political criticism.
Accident and Assault at Temple Premises
On the evening of Diwali, Rampal was reportedly drinking water near the temple when, due to coughing caused by respiratory illness, he involuntarily urinated. Swamikant, a local man, accused him of defiling the temple and subjected him to degrading treatment including forcing him to lick the ground and wash the spot to “purify” it.
Eyewitnesses confirm Rampal was physically assaulted and abused with casteist remarks while onlookers witnessed the ordeal, leaving the elderly man deeply humiliated.
Police Action and Legal Proceedings
Following Rampal’s formal complaint, Kakori police arrested the accused and registered a case under sections including voluntarily causing hurt, criminal intimidation, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
ACP Shakeel Ahmed confirmed the arrest and stated that a thorough investigation is underway. The accused denies some allegations, claiming the victim only touched the ground, but police continue to gather evidence.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This tragic incident underscores the ongoing caste-based discrimination and violation of human dignity in India. The Logical Indian condemns these acts of cruelty and urges stronger enforcement of legal protections and greater societal commitment to equality and respect for all individuals. It is vital to foster awareness, empathy, and non-violence to ensure such inhumane mistreatment ceases.
