Dalit groom assaulted for riding horse in Gujarat, 4 held

Four persons have been arrested for allegedly attacking a Dalit bridegroom for riding a horse as part of his wedding procession in Gujarat's Gandhinagar district, police said.

The incident took place on Monday afternoon in Chadasana village when the accused persons also hurled casteist abuses at the Dalit groom, Vikas Chavda, while he was riding a horse as part of his wedding procession, a Mansa police station official said on Tuesday.

The groom, along with around 100 participants in the procession, was on way to the bride's house in the village when a man on a motorcycle intercepted and dragged him down from the horse and slapped him, said a complaint filed by the groom's cousin, Sanjay Chavda.

The accused person also hurled casteist slurs at the groom, objecting to him riding the horse by saying that only members of his community can ride a horse, the complaint said.

Three more persons joined him and all the four started abusing and threatening the groom, the complainant stated in the first information report (FIR).

The groom was compelled to ride a four-wheeler to the bride's house for the wedding, it said.

The four accused have been identified as Sailesh Thakore, Jayesh Thakore, Samir Thakore and Ashwin Thakore, all belonging to the OBC community.

All the four accused persons have been arrested, the police official said.

They have been booked under Indian Penal Code sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult), 114 (abettor present when offence committed) and 506 (2) (criminal intimidation), and relevant provisions of the SC/ST ((Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.