Dalit Youth Brutally Beaten to Death by Liquor Mafia: Shock and Outrage in Rajasthan

Jhunjhunu- In Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu district, a Dalit youth employed in a cow shed was subjected to brutal torture, resulting in his death. He was tied upside down with an iron pipe, subjected to extreme torture as his soles were repeatedly beaten with sticks for six hours.

According to the police, the illegal liquor trade flourished in the village of Baloda, where the victim, Rameshwar Valmiki (27), had associations with liquor producers. This stirred animosity among their competitors, who held legitimate liquor sale contracts. They sought to terminate the illicit liquor trade. Consequently, this rivalry culminated in Rameshwar's abduction from his residence.

It is reported that influential people in liquor business, intimidate the villagers to force them to buy liquor. Dalits are the primary victims of exploitation by the liquor mafia there. Rameshwar's murder is being cited as a recent example of this.

According to police reports, on the morning of May 14th, Rameshwar left home to attend a funeral after returning from the cow shed. He was abducted by the assailants and taken to a mansion, where he was held captive for six hours.

The police station in-charge stated, "On the morning of May 14th, after Rameshwar returned from the cowshed, he left home around 11 am to attend a funeral. Shortly after his departure, the perpetrators kidnapped him in a camper car and transported him to a mansion. There, they bound him and subjected him to six hours of severe beatings. Two of the accused relentlessly assaulted him, resulting in his death. Subsequently, they dumped his body near his residence around 7 pm."

Upon receiving the information, DSP Vikas Dhindwal and Police Officer Sukhdev Singh promptly arrived at the scene, accompanied by a canine unit.

It has been reported that the perpetrators also took Rameshwar to a private hospital in Satnali, Haryana, where medical professionals pronounced him dead.

Following this, they abandoned his body outside his home at 7 pm before fleeing the area.

Rameshwar's elder brother, Kaluram, filed a named report against six accused individuals at the Surajgarh police station. The report implicated Chintu son Mahavir, Parvat son Pawan, Sukha, Praveen Urika, Chintu, and one other individual.

Speaking with The Mooknayak, SP Rajarshi Verma said , "On May 16, the police apprehended the suspects: Deependra alias Chintu, Praveen Kumar alias PK, Subhash alias Chintu, Satish alias Sukh from Baloda, and Praveen alias Baba from Urica police station, Surajgarh. Deependra alias Chintu, of Surajgarh police station, already has cases registered against him for assault and violation of the Arms Act." A minor too has been detained in connection with the murder.

Additional information reveals that besides Rameshwar, the perpetrators also abducted a youth named Jethu Nayak. Jethu recounted being taken to a liquor warehouse within a mansion in the same village, where both victims endured severe beatings.

Rameshwar's brother, Kaluram, resides with the family in Neemkathana and works as a laborer. His second brother, Sultan, lives in Rajgarh. Rameshwar's mother lived with him in their home located in Baloda. His father had passed away earlier.

Following Rameshwar's tragic demise, his mother is in a grievous state, mourning his loss.

Former CM Ashok Gehlot and various Dalit organizations and activists have strongly condemned the incident.

Following social media outrage, hashtags calling for CM Bhajanlal's resignation are trending as people demand his resignation.

Gehlot expressed his dismay on his social media handle, stating, "The murder of a Dalit youth by the liquor mafia in Surajgarh, Jhunjhunu, and the subsequent viral video of the heinous act symbolizes the declining credibility of the government and law enforcement in Rajasthan. Incidents like these are being reported from across the state daily. Since the BJP government assumed power, crimes against Dalits have surged rapidly. The Rajasthan government, engrossed in media image-building, must take these incidents seriously and undertake measures to prevent their recurrence in the future."

Govind Singh Dotasara, President , Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee also took to social media to condemn the incident.

In a X post he wrote, "Atrocities against Dalits and caste discrimination are on the rise under the BJP government. The BJP has shown its anti-Dalit stance by nature. The entire state is plagued by crime incidents, instilling fear among the common people while emboldening miscreants."