Four Dalit activists of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) were allegedly stripped, urinated upon, hung from a tree and brutally assaulted on rumours of stealing goats and pigeons in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar, police said on Sunday.
According to police and VBA local workers, the activists were hung upside down from a tree and then repeatedly assaulted with sticks by six persons for allegedly stealing a goat and pigeons of a local farmer.
The incident was reported from Haregaon in Shrirampur in the district.
Taking serious note of the incident, VBA President Prakash Ambedkar called up his party workers and spoke to one of the victims and his family.
"The victims in the caste atrocity case are shaken and pleading for justice. I spoke to one of them and his grandmother, and the VBA and I will do everything to ensure justice," he said.
VBA Vice President Siddharth Mokle said that Ambedkar will visit the families of the four youngsters - all in their 20s - next week and has assured them all help in the matter.
Police said that the incident occurred on Thursday and one of the accused even shot a video of the incident which later went viral on social media.
In a statement, the VBA said that the assailants allegedly urinated and spat on the victims, stripped them, forced them to lick the spittle, hung them upside down from a tree and then severely beat them up.
So far, the police have detained one person while five others are still at large and the police have formed teams to track them. They have been identified as: Deepak Gaikwad, Raju Borge, Yuvaraj Galande, Durgesh Vaidya and Manoj Borake.
The injured youth were taken to a local hospital and later one of them, Shubham Mogade filed the police complaint on Saturday. The police have registered a FIR invoking sections pertaining to abduction, attempt to murder and atrocities on SC/STs against the accused, and further probe is underway.
Sri Lankan Navy arrests 32 Tamil fishermen, five boats seized
The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 32 fishermen from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing in Lankan waters.
Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi hails ISRO's century in rocket launches, urges people to dedicate a day for science
Addressing the 119th episode of his monthly radio programme, 'Mann Ki Baat', on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the Indian Space Research Organisation, saying it has hit the century in space. Last month, the country witnessed the ISRO's 100th rocket launch.
Mizoram student stabbed to death in Kerala, batchmate arrested
A 22-year-old BTech student from Mizoram was stabbed to death near his college in Thiruvananthapuram. The deceased, Valentine, was a student at Rajadhani Institute of Engineering & Technology, Nagaroor.
Italy PM slams Left's double standards, says when Trump, Meloni, Modi talk, they are called threat to democracy
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has accused left-wing politicians of being "nervous" over former US President Donald Trump's victory, claiming that conservatives are unfairly labelled as a "threat to democracy" while leftist leaders are celebrated for similar global alliances.
NDRF intensifies rescue operation to save 8 trapped in Telangana tunnel
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams on Sunday intensified rescue efforts to save eight persons trapped in an under-construction tunnel after a portion of its roof collapsed in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district on February 22.
Israel delays Palestinian prisoner release after 'humiliating' hostage handovers
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that the release of Palestinian prisoners would be delayed until Hamas ceases its "humiliating ceremonies" during the release of Israeli hostages under the ceasefire deal.
PM Modi on 3-day visit to MP, Bihar, Assam from today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Assam from February 23 to 25 to participate in several developmental projects and inaugurate business summits.
US senators call out China for 'weaponising' UN 1971 resolution, vow support to Taiwan
The United States Senators accused China of subverting United Nations Resolution 2758 in an attempt to isolate Taiwan. The senators proposed a resolution in the Senate reaffirming US support for Taiwan. The resolution opposes China's attempt to prevent Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organisations.