Locked Up By 'Upper Caste' Women For Entering Home, Dalit Boy Dies By Suicide

A 12-year-old Dalit boy allegedly died by suicide by consuming poison after he was reportedly locked inside a cowshed by some so-called 'upper caste' women for entering their house at a village in Shimla district, officials said on Wednesday.

According to the complaint filed by the father of the boy, he found his son lying unconscious on the bed on the evening of September 16.

He took his son to a community health centre in Rohru before being referred to the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla where he died during treatment, the complainant said, adding that the doctors said his son consumed a poisonous substance.

The complainant alleged that his wife told him their son was harassed and locked inside a cowshed by three 'upper caste' women after he entered their house while playing.

The women reportedly claimed that their son “defiled” their house and demanded a goat as a punishment, he alleged.

Traumatised by the harassment, the boy consumed some poisonous substance, which led to his death, the complainant said.

Police have registered a case against the accused women, who have been granted anticipatory bail by a local court, officials said.

The incident outraged the local people, including the Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch (DSMM), which strongly condemned the incident and demanded police to immediately arrest the accused under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The DSMM also warned to launch a mass movement by mobilising people if no action is taken against the accused.  

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)