Dalit labourer 'pollutes' common water pot after drinking from it, beaten

A Dalit labourer was beaten, racially abused and threatened with death after drinking water from a vessel kept outside a private clinic in Uttar Pradesh's Bhadohi district, with the accused claiming the container had been "polluted" because it had been used by a Dalit.

The incident occurred on June 23 when Bhola Gautam was returning home after finishing painting work with fellow labourer Om Prakash Vishwakarma. Suffering from a headache, Gautam stopped at a clinic to seek medicine.

According to the FIR, when Gautam asked for water to take the medicine, he was told to fetch it from a vessel placed outside the clinic.

As he drank the water, a nearby shopkeeper, identified as Subhash Bind, began verbally abusing him and questioned how a person from a "lower caste" could use the vessel.

Police said Bind then allegedly struck Gautam with a stick, causing injuries. The complaint further alleges that Bind declared that the vessel had been "polluted" because a Dalit had drunk from it, and also assaulted Gautam before allegedly threatening to kill him.

According to Additional Superintendent of Police Shubham Agrawal, Gautam was rescued by his co-worker and other bystanders.

He sustained injuries to his head, abdomen, back and legs and was first taken to the district hospital before being referred to a hospital in Varanasi, where he underwent treatment for 12 days.

After being discharged, Gautam approached the police on July 5 and lodged a complaint. Based on his statement, an FIR was registered late on Monday.

Police said two, including Bind, have been arrested.

- Ends