300 Booked After Clashes During Dalit Wedding Procession In Mathura

More than 300 people, including 41 named accused from both communities, have been booked after violence broke out during a Dalit wedding procession in Mathura’s Narhauli village on May 20, while police have also registered a separate case over an alleged attack on personnel during the clashes, according to PTI.

According to PTI, the incident took place under the Highway police station area when a wedding procession from Bharna Kalan village in Govardhan reached Narhauli for the marriage of Lakshmi and Poonam, daughters of Bhagwan Das, with Ashok and Kuldeep, sons of Nemichand.

Police said stones were allegedly thrown at the procession when it passed through an upper-caste locality during the ceremony, triggering violence between the two sides.

Members of the other community, however, alleged that tensions escalated after some participants in the procession played songs containing caste-based derogatory remarks and used objectionable language. They claimed residents who objected were assaulted and that some procession members entered houses and damaged property.

Reported PTI, Senior Superintendent of Police Shlok Kumar said the crime branch was investigating the incident.

Highway police station SHO Shailendra Singh said Radha, daughter-in-law of injured elderly woman Shanti alias Santoshi Devi, filed a complaint naming 17 people from the Dalit community along with 250 unidentified persons. Police said the bride’s brothers were among those named in the complaint.

In another complaint, the bride’s brother Dilip named 24 people and 20 unidentified persons, police added.

Police also registered a separate case related to an alleged attack on policemen, naming 15 individuals and booking 50 unidentified persons.

According to PTI, additional police personnel from several police stations have been deployed in the village as a precautionary measure, while authorities appealed to both communities to maintain peace.

Officials said the condition of the injured elderly woman had improved and she was likely to be discharged from hospital by Friday evening.

Police said CCTV footage and video clips circulating on social media were being examined to identify all those involved in the violence and that further action would follow accordingly.

The SHO said the three cases registered in connection with the clashes were likely to be handed over to a Special Investigation Team (SIT), though official confirmation was still awaited.

(With inputs from PTI)