Dalit youth beaten for uploading picture wearing traditional headgear and sunglass in Gujarat

Parmar filed an FIR on July 18, which named four accused including Kirpalsinh Rathod, Manusinh Rathod and his son, Hitendrasinh Rathod and Shukalsinh Rathod.

Ahmedabad: A 24-year-old Dalit youth was beaten up by a group of upper caste men allegedly for uploading his picture on his Instagram account, wearing a traditional headgear and sunglasses.

The incident occurred in Sayebapur village in Himatnagar taluka of Sabarkantha district in north Gujarat on the intriguing night of July 17.

According to the FIR filed, Ajay Parmar, who runs an auto rickshaw for living, was beaten up by four men from the Darbar community, who consider themselves Kshatriyas.

Parmar has said in the FIR, which was registered on July 18, that while he was returning home in his auto, he was stopped by two people near the Navanagar bus stand.

The accused allegedly started beating Parmar, objecting to Parmar's display picture (DP) which he had uploaded on his Instagram account.

"They told me that only people from the Darbar community can wear safa and sunglasses. They beat me up and told me to remove the picture. I somehow managed to dodge them, leaving behind my auto rickshaw. On the way home, one of my friends told me that a group of 20-25 men from the Darbar community were waiting to beat me. Meanwhile, I called my father and brother for my rescue," Parmar told Deccan Herald over phone.

He said that in the village, the group slapped him and his father and, humiliated and abused them.

"My father called the police which came after an hour or so. We remained at the same spot fearing for our life," Parmar said. He added that his is the only Dalit household in the village dominated by the Darbar community.

The FIR named four accused including Kirpalsinh Rathod, Manusinh Rathod and his son, Hitendrasinh Rathod and Shukalsinh Rathod.

Sanjay Goswami, police sub-inspector with Himatnagar rural police station said that the accused have run away from the village. "We are investigating the case," he said.

This is not the first instance of Dalits getting beaten up for wearing traditional attires like safa, pointed shoes or sporting handlebar mustaches by upper caste men. There have been several similar instances in the recent past.