Ballia (UP), Jun 1 (PTI) A group of men allegedly attacked a Dalit family with sticks and rods for holding a wedding ceremony in a hall in Rasra, Uttar Pradesh, police said on Sunday.
Two persons were seriously injured in the incident on Friday, they said.
“Being from a Dalit community, how can you hold a wedding in a hall?” the attackers allegedly said, as per the FIR lodged in the matter.
No arrests have been made so far in this connection.
The FIR based on a complaint by one of the victim's brother, Raghvendra Gautam, said a group of around 20 armed with sticks and rods stormed Swayamvar Marriage Hall around 10.30 pm and attacked those who were holding a wedding there.
The group was led by Aman Sahni, Deepak Sahni, Rahul, and Akhilesh, he said. There were 15-20 other unidentified people from the Mallah Toli locality, the complainant said.
According to the FIR, the accused allegedly hurled caste-based slurs and objected to the wedding being held at a marriage hall before launching an "assault".
Gautam’s relatives, Ajay Kumar and Manan Kant, sustained serious injuries in the attack.
Based on the complaint, a case has been registered under relevant sections of the BNS along with provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Rasra Police Station in-charge Vipin Singh said an investigation is underway.