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  Minor dalit boy killed by upper class family of girl he loved

Minor dalit boy killed by upper class family of girl he loved

AGE CORRESPONDENT
Published : Jul 21, 2016, 3:06 am IST
Updated : Jul 21, 2016, 3:06 am IST

In a shocking instance of real life imitating reel life, a 16-year-old dalit boy was murdered by the upper class family members of a girl he was in love with.

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 20GO.jpg

In a shocking instance of real life imitating reel life, a 16-year-old dalit boy was murdered by the upper class family members of a girl he was in love with. What is even more shocking is that despite the deceased having earlier informed police officers about death threats he received from the girl’s family, they laughed it off calling it a real-life Sairat story and did not lodge a complaint against the girl’s family. Incidentally, Sairat, a recent Marathi blockbuster that set cash registers ringing, portrayed a similar story where a backward-class boy falls in love with and marries an upper-class girl despite stiff opposition from her family, only for the couple to be murdered in the end. While the accused have been arrested, an inquiry has been initiated against the two cops who failed to lodge an FIR. They have been suspended.

The arrested accused have been identified as: the girl’s brothers — Sagar Naik (25) and Sajesh Naik (21); her father Rajendra Naik (50); her mother Malati Naik (43); Sagar’s friends Durgesh Patil (22) and Ashish Thakur (23); and rickshaw driver Samir Shaikh (23).

The girl hails from a family of landlords, while the boy’s father works as a clerk in a bank.

Police officials said that the deceased, identified as Swapnil Shahaji Sonawane (16), was in love with the 15-year-old daughter of Rajendra and Malati Naik. The two knew each other since their school days and used to go together to school and for tuitions. Only recently, they had passed their standard X exams and joined college.

The police said: “Last month, Sagar’s friends told him that they had seen his sister with Swapnil and something was going on between them. After this, Sagar and Sajesh, with rickshaw driver Samir’s help, kidnapped Swapnil from tuitions. They told Swapnil to stop hanging out with their sister and threatened him with dire consequences if he continued to do so. However, two weeks later, they saw Swapnil and their sister talking to each other near the tuition class. At that point, they called Swapnil, along with his parents, to the terrace of one of the buildings and threatened to push the trio over the edge if they found Swapnil talking to their sister again.”

Swapnil’s father, Shahaji Sonawane, said: “After the incident where they took us to the terrace, we were very afraid. The very next day, the three of us went to Nerul police station to file a police complaint against the Naik family. We met WPSI Sonali Rajguru and narrated the entire story. She then called PSI Y. Mane and asked whether she should file the complaint or not. At that point, Mr Mane asked us to reiterate everything and after learning that we wanted to lodge a complaint against the Naik family, they called Sagar and Sajesh, who slapped my son right there in the police station. Later, Mr Mane told us to keep a check on Swapnil, else he would be killed like the hero in Sairat. Meanwhile, the Naik family spoke very badly about our status, our caste and other things. They said they did not like the fact that my son was from a backward caste and was not well-to-do.”

“Last week, Sagar and Sajesh called Swapnil and asked him to come to their house and apologise for approaching the police. I wanted to sort things out, especially with Swapnil’s college having started, so, I took the initiative and went to the Naiks’ home along with my wife and Swapnil. After entering, I saw there were 25 to 30 people standing there. I suspected something was wrong and the moment they started shouting at Swapnil, I said, ‘Let’s run’. However, they caught us and beat us badly for more than 15 minutes. I managed to call one of my friends, who came along with a few neighbours and others, and took us to DY Patil Hospital where my son was declared dead,” said a teary-eyed Mr Sonawane.

The police said, “Swapnil was beaten up by people and there were injuries on his chest and near his private parts. Doctors said his ribs were fractured.”

DCP Prashant Khaire said, “We came to know about the incident in the night and immediately arrested the Naik family, friends of Sagar and Sajesh Naik and the rickshaw driver who had helped them. We will soon arrest other people involved in this matter. We have registered a case of murder and atrocity against the accused family.”

On Wednesday, members of the Sonawane family and their neighbours gathered in front of Nerul police station to protest against the two police officers who did not take the matter seriously when Swapnil had earlier approached them.

Navi Mumbai CP, Hemant Nagrale, said, “I have ordered the ACP to initiate inquiry against the two officers who did not take action against the Naik family earlier. We will soon issue orders for their suspension.”