Dalit woman, minor grandson thrashed by cops in MP’s Katni, police probe after video goes viral

The duo in the video has been identified as Kusum Vanskar and her grandson Deepraj. They are the mother and son of Deepak Vanska, a history-sheeter who had been under surveillance since 2017.

A video of Dalit woman and her 15-year-old grandson being beaten up by a group of railway police officials at a railway station in Madhya Pradesh's Katni has emerged. The video of the incident, that occurred 10 months ago, has gone viral on social media, sparking a controversy.

The video shows a woman in civvies beating up a woman and a boy in a closed room. Later, some other personnel in uniform join her in thrashing the duo.

According to Madhya Pradesh police, the video is from October 2023 and a DIG level officer has been sent to Katni to investigate the incident.

“A video of misbehavior at GRP police station Katni has come to light through social media. The video is from October 2023. After the incident came to light, the station in-charge has been attached to GRP Police Line Jabalpur. The Police Headquarters has ordered a DIG level officer to go to Katni and investigate the incident,” the MP police posted on X.

The duo in the video have been identified as Kusum Vanskar and her grandson Deepraj. They are the mother and son of Deepak Vanska, a history-sheeter who had been under surveillance since 2017. 

After the video went viral, Superintendent of Police (SP) Railway Jabalpur said on X that the incident had occurred in October 2023. "These persons (woman and her son) are family members of notorious criminal Deepak Vanshkar, against whom 19 cases are registered. He has been absconding in a case of theft and a reward of Rs 10,000 has been announced on him. He was externed from Katni district in April 2024," it said.

However, the opposition Congress targeted the ruling BJP in the state over the incident, with state Congress chief Jitu Patwari saying that Dalits of Madhya Pradesh are forced to live a “horrific life under the misrule of the BJP”.

The MP Congress on Wednesday shared the video on its X handle, in which it said, "Chief Minister Mohan Yadavji, will you tell us what is happening in Madhya Pradesh? Under the pretext of maintaining law and order, your police department is indulging in hooliganism and is hell bent on taking the lives of people."

The cruelty with which the Katni Government Railway Police (GRP) station in-charge beat up the 15-year-old boy and his mother from a Dalit family is agonising, it said. "From where did they get so much courage to do so? Is it due to your negligence? Have you given them permission to indulge in such acts?" the Congress said, terming the incident as "shameful". 

“The entire Madhya Pradesh is shocked by the gruesome incident in Katni. A Dalit mother and son were beaten to death with sticks in a closed room by goons in uniform of the BJP. Dalits of Madhya Pradesh are forced to live a horrific life under the misrule of the BJP. If the Chief Minister cannot protect the people of his state, he should resign immediately. The incidents of Sagar, Satna, Narsinghpur, Ashoknagar and now Katni continuously raise questions on the capability and intentions of Mohan Yadav. Can the Chief Minister of our state provide security to any Dalit family?” he asked. 

(With Inputs from PTI)