- Four upper-caste men recently released from jail attacked a Dalit former sarpanch's home in Lalpur village
- The assailants fired nine rounds in the air and assaulted a woman and a young man with gun butts
- The attack stems from a longstanding feud over DJ music and land disputes between the families
A shocking case of caste violence and lawlessness has emerged from Lalpur village under Karera tehsil in Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh, where four upper-caste men - recently released from jail - allegedly stormed the house of a Dalit former sarpanch. They had fired nine rounds in air, and assaulted a woman and a young man with the butt of a gun, leaving both injured.
According to the victim, Ajmer Singh Parihar, the former sarpanch of Lalpur, the attack is rooted in an old rivalry. The men had been in jail after attacking the same family. They launched the current attack after being released on bail.
Around a year-and-a-half ago, a dispute erupted between the two families over DJ music during a local event, which has since snowballed into a prolonged feud. Land-related tensions have further escalated the conflict.
On the day of the incident, Nahar Singh Thakur, along with his three brothers, arrived at the former sarpanch's home and began indiscriminate firing into the air.
Following the gunfire, the assailants reportedly beat up a woman and a young man, using the butt of their firearms.
Both sustained injuries and required medical attention.
The chilling footage of the firing has intensified public outrage and added to the pressure on local law enforcement.
Ajmer Singh told NDTV that this was not the first attack. "They attacked my brother on June 3 as well. We had filed a case under the SC/ST Act, and the police had sent them to jail. But now they're out - and they came back to attack us again."
The local police have confirmed that a case has been registered under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and attempt to murder. The authorities have assured that the accused will face strict legal action.
