Four dalits allege police brutality

AHMEDABAD: Even as the dalit agitation after Una flogging incident is still reverberating in Gujarat, a group of dalits from Ahmedabad has alleged police brutality in Changodar.The four, who were treated as OPD patients at VS Hospital have given an application of complaint about the incident to police officials at the VS.
The four who were treated at the hospital are Mohan Parmar, Keval Parmar, Karsan Parmar and Sedha Parmar.The four claimed that they were targeted only because they were dalits.
P O Bhatt, deputy superintendent of police, Sarkhej division, and in-charge SP , Ahmedabad Rural, told TOI that an offence was registered against the four and they were taken into custody . “These are the facts. Apart from this, we will have to verify their claims. If they approach us with the complaint, we will probe the incident.“
Mohan Parmar, who had bruises on his thigh, said, “We left to get pipes for Anjali Corporation, the firm we are working with. Since it was going to be late to collect the materi al we were moving on the highway . At about 1am in the night on Wednesday , we were easing ourselves near Sanathal Crossroads on the highway , when two persons approached us in a private car. These people, including Kuldipsinh Jat, were not in police uniform. They first asked our names and when I said Mohan Parmar and the other also said we were dalits, we were asked to sit in the car and were taken to the police station.The police then assaulted us with batons and even kicked us.“
Sedha Parmar, whose skin on the backside has come out and the entire back side has bruises, said, “We were made to sleep on the bench and were beaten up. The cops continuously kept on beating us. Even if we asked what was the fault, they just hit us.“
Manish Makwana, the owner of Anjali Corporation, said that after keeping in custody till 4pm, they were released on personal bail bond.