Mob Kills Dalit Teen, Strips Mother Naked Over Sister's 2019 Sexual Assault Case

A Dalit teenager was beaten to death by a mob of hundreds in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district on Monday. The victim was killed over a sexual harassment case filed by his sister against four men in 2019, according to police. His sister was also beaten and his mother was stripped naked when she tried to save her son from the attackers.

Nine persons are facing murder charges, while three will be charged under the strict provisions of the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes Act. Eight of them have been apprehended, as confirmed by Additional Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Uikey.

The 18-year-old victim's sister claimed that pressure to withdraw her case led to the violent assault on them. "They thrashed him a lot. He couldn't survive. They stripped me. The police arrived and handed me a towel. I stood there in a towel until they got me a saree," recounted the victim's mother.

She further detailed how the mob ransacked and vandalized their home, causing widespread damage. "None of the household items are left intact. Even the solid roofs were broken," she lamented.

Later, the mob proceeded to another house in search of the victim's other two sons.

The victim's aunt revealed that a mob also invaded her home, threatening her husband and children. She alleged, "They would have killed my children and husband too. They even checked our fridge."

Following the incident, heavy police presence was deployed in the village to maintain order.

The victim's family performed his last rites after receiving assurances of government assistance under various schemes and being informed of the arrests by the district collector, the police reported.

In 2019, the victim's sister had filed a case against four men, accusing them of threats and assault. All four were subsequently arrested, and the case is currently in court, according to law enforcement.

The incident has ignited a political controversy in the election-bound state, with opposition parties such as Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party (led by Mayawati) criticizing the BJP government. The ruling party responded by claiming prompt action was taken and accusing Congress of a selective approach toward crimes.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge highlighted the ongoing oppression of Dalits and tribals in Madhya Pradesh, which is gearing up for elections later this year. He asserted that the state has the highest rate of crimes against Dalits and accused the BJP of turning Madhya Pradesh into a "laboratory of Dalit atrocities."

State Congress chief Kamal Nath demanded financial support for the victim's family and alleged that the accused had ties to the BJP.

Madhya Pradesh Minister Bhupendra Singh refuted the allegations, stating that the crime stemmed from a dispute. He accused the Congress of politicizing the incident.