Dalit teenagers brutally tortured in Chhattisgarh ice cream factory over wage demand; Five arrested
Korba, Chhattisgarh: Two Dalit teenagers were subjected to inhuman torture in Korba district of Chhattisgarh, allegedly by the owner of an ice cream factory and his associates, after they demanded their pending wages. The incident, which took place under the Civil Lines police station limits, has triggered outrage after a disturbing video of the assault went viral on social media.
The victims, identified as Abhishek and Vinod Bhambi (18), hail from Bhilwara district of Rajasthan. They had been working at the factory for two months after being promised a monthly salary of ₹10,000. According to the police, they were hired through a contractor to work at the factory owned by one Chhotu Gurjar in the Khaprabhatti area.
In their complaint, the teenagers alleged that when they asked for their pending wages, they were subjected to brutal torture. The accused reportedly stripped them, beat them severely, pulled out their nails and private parts using pliers, and gave them electric shocks. Throughout the ordeal, they were verbally abused with casteist slurs. A video shot by one of the accused shows a semi-nude man pleading for mercy while being beaten and electrocuted.
The victims somehow managed to escape and reached back to Bhilwara, where they filed a complaint. Rajasthan Police registered a zero FIR and forwarded the case to Korba Police for investigation. Korba SP Siddharth Tewari said that the FIR was received around 9 am on Friday, and within hours, five of the accused seen in the video were arrested.
"Two of those arrested are believed to be the factory owners, and the rest are their associates. One of the accused is a minor. All of them will be produced before the court," the SP said.
A case has been registered at the Civil Lines police station under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 127(2) (wrongful confinement), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), and 308(2) (extortion), along with provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, particularly Section 3(2)(v-a), which deals with crimes committed against Scheduled Castes with knowledge of their identity.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from civil rights activists. Bhanwar Meghwanshi, President of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties in Rajasthan, highlighted the timing of the incident, noting that it took place on the birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
"While garlands were being offered to Baba Saheb’s pictures, Dalit youths were being stripped and tortured — is this the 'New India'? Why are the governments of Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan silent?" he wrote on social media platform X, calling the incident a case of “caste-based terror.”
Suresh Meghwanshi, a journalist and Bhim Army activist, warned that if the government fails to provide immediate justice and compensation to the victims, the organisation will be forced to launch a protest.
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Three more arrested in connection with murder of Suhas Shetty in Mangaluru
Mangaluru (Karnataka), May 14 (PTI): The Mangaluru City Crime Branch has arrested three men in connection with the murder of Hindutva activist Suhas Shetty, officials said on Wednesday.
The accused, identified as Azaruddin alias Azar alias Ajju (29), Abdul Khader alias Noufal (24) and Vamanjoor Noushad alias Chotte Noushad (39), were arrested during the last two days, they said.
With the fresh arrests, a total of 11 people have been arrested in connection with the murder so far, police said.
According to a police statement, Azaruddin had previously been booked in three theft cases registered at Panambur, Suratkal, and Mulki police stations. He allegedly provided information about Shetty's movements to the other accused, aiding in the murder.
Khader is said to have assisted the accused during their escape in a car after the murder was committed.
Noushad is accused of having conspired with the others and directly participated in the crime. He has six previous criminal cases, including murder, attempted murder, and robbery conspiracy, registered at various police stations in Dakshina Kannada, police said.
Azaruddin has been remanded in judicial custody, while Khader and Noushad have been taken into police custody for seven days for further investigation.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and efforts are underway to trace other accused involved in the case.
Shetty, a known rowdy sheeter and Hindutva activist, was murdered by a group on May 1 within the Bajpe police station limits in Mangaluru City.
