Mysuru: A Dalit youth was allegedly stripped and tied to a coconut tree, beaten and later paraded naked because he was resting near a temple and “marring its sanctity” in Maadrahalli, Gundlupet taluk.
The alleged incident reported by the youth’s cousin to the Gundlupet police, sparked protests on Wednesday with members of the Dalit Sangharsha Samithi and progressive thinkers gathering before the Ambedkar statue near Town Hall to condemn it.
In his complaint, Mr Kantharaju S., said that his cousin, S. Prathap, was robbed by some men while he was on his way to Shyanadrahalli from Mysuru. Escaping from them, he ran through a farm and reached the Shaneswara temple near Maadrahalli, where he was resting when the temple priest, who saw him in the morning, reportedly objected to his presence on learning of his caste. He then summoned a few other men and together they stripped him, tied him to a coconut tree and beat him before parading him naked, Mr Kantharaju alleged. Pratap is now being treated at the KR hospital, according to him.
ASP Chamarajnagar, Anitha said, a case had been registered under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocity Act, 1969 against six men and five had been arrested.
She said preliminary investigation had revealed that Pratap had done his BSc and had left home because he was depressed at having missed his UPSC preliminary exam on June 2 . His bike and belongings were found in Raghavapura village, according to her.
The villagers have told the police Pratap was found sleeping naked in the temple by the priest on June 3 after he had vandalised the statues of its deities.
