Low caste Hindu man killed for riding horse
A 21-year-old low caste Hindu man was reportedly killed for keeping and riding a horse in an Indian village of Gujarat district.
Local police detained three persons in connection with the murder. Identified as Pradip Rathod, the youth was killed on Thursday evening at Timbi village of Umrala taluka in Bhavnagar district. Rathod was riding back on his horse to his home from the farm when the incident took place.
On Friday, following protests from the family of the youth, police said they were questioning three men in connection with the murder. All the three are from the Kshatriya community, police said.
Late in the evening, the horse, Raju, led the procession of mourners for Rathod’s funeral. “We wanted to carry the body in a horse carriage as a mark of protest. But since a carriage couldn’t be arranged, we ensured that the horse led the funeral procession,” said Aravind Makwana, a Dalit social worker.
Dalit man killed in Gujarat for keeping, riding horse https://t.co/arx9JRurld pic.twitter.com/SLUhzOG4v9— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) 30 March 2018
“They said that a Dalit should not ride a horse as no Dalits in Timbi and surrounding villages own a horse,” said Pradip’s father.
Timbi has a population of about 5000 people, a majority of whom are Darbars or Kshatriyas.
There are about 40 Dalit families who stay in the village, rights activists said.
Source: Indian Express, 10thousandcouples.com, news18.com
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