Dalit youth alleges caste abuse, assault, scooter torched by mob in Chandkheda

A 22-year-old Scheduled Caste youth has filed a complaint with the police alleging that he and his friend were assaulted, abused with caste-based slurs and chased by a group of men who later vandalised and set fire to his scooter in Chandkheda, police said on Wednesday.

As per the First Information Report (FIR) registered on January 8, Kirtanbhai Manishbhai Vadnagara, a resident of Chandkheda, alleged that the incident took place on the evening of January 5 near K B Royal Homes.

Kirtanbhai stated that he was travelling on his Activa scooter with his friend Vedant Pradipbhai Verma, when Manthan Thakor and Siddhraj Thakor stopped them near the housing society gate. The accused allegedly objected to Kirtanbhai’s friendship with Vedant Verma and another friend, Kavya alias C K Chauhan, and hurled abusive and derogatory remarks referring to his caste.

The FIR states that the two men allegedly assaulted Kirtanbhai and Vedant with wooden sticks. Moments later, several others, including Kishu Thakor and Amit Thakor, along with around five unidentified youths, arrived at the spot carrying knives, iron pipes and sticks. Fearing for their lives, Kirtanbhai and his friend fled the scene.

“When they looked back from a distance, they saw the group vandalising the scooter with iron pipes and wooden sticks before setting it on fire,” the complaint said. The scooter was completely gutted, causing an estimated loss of Rs 80,000, the complainant alleged.

Kirtanbhai further told police that there had been ongoing tension in the area following a murder involving a youth from the Thakor community, and that he had earlier been warned against associating with certain friends. He informed his mother about the incident the next day, following which the complaint was lodged.

Police said an FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), provisions related to rioting, criminal intimidation, mischief by fire, and sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. 

“A detailed investigation is under way, and efforts are on to identify and apprehend all those involved,” a senior police officer said.