Rajasthan: Dalit boy thrashed for touching 'upper caste' waterpot, dies
A nine-year-old Dalit student at a private school in the village of Surana, Rajasthan, reportedly died on Saturday, days after he was allegedly beaten by a teacher for touching a drinking waterpot meant for "upper caste" people. Chail Singh, a 40-year-old teacher, was arrested and charged with murder as well as violation of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Why does this story matter?
Atrocities against the backward communities, comprising Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC), which reportedly represent around 75% of India's population, by the minority dominant castes, are not a new phenomenon. Caste atrocities throughout India are a result of structural and physical caste discrimination against these communities since, as per Brahamanical beliefs, they were born into so-called "lower" castes.
More details regarding the incident
According to the victim's father, the incident occurred on July 20. Following the beating, the boy sustained serious facial injuries and became unconscious. He was admitted to the district hospital before being referred to a Udaipur hospital. However, there was no improvement even after a week. Images of him with swollen eyes and a broken nose have been doing the rounds on social media.
What did the boy's father say?
"He (the boy) remained admitted at the hospital in Udaipur for about a week, but seeing no improvement, we took him to Ahmedabad," Devaram Meghwal, the deceased's father, stated. "But his condition didn't improve even there, and he finally succumbed on Saturday," he added. Rajasthan's Education Department has launched an investigation into the incident. Two officials have been reportedly assigned to submit a report.
CM condemns attack, announces Rs. 5L compensation for boy's kin
The Rajasthan Police is investigating why the nine-year-old was beaten for touching a water container. The Chief Minister (CM) of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, has stated that the incident is tragic and that the state government will make sure that the victim's family receives justice as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the CM also announced a Rs. 5 lakh ex gratia for the deceased's family.
