A few days ago in Haregaon village of Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district, an unfortunate incident occurred, where four young men were beaten up by the villagers over the suspicion of theft. Initially, a sensitive video emerged, portraying a man tortured and hung upside down, Propagandist accounts such as @Bazingaaaa_a, @SAHR_Watch came forward with misleading claims of caste-based Dalit atrocities and law & order failure

Incident Details:
On August 25, six individuals targeted the four Dalit men, accusing them of stealing a goat and pigeons. Contrary to claims, the assault stemmed from a suspicion of theft, not caste affiliations. The victims, in their 20s, were forcefully taken from their homes, hung upside down from a tree, and brutally beaten with sticks. While one person was arrested in connection with the attack, five others remain at large.

The perpetrators involved in this disturbing incident were identified as Yuvraj Galande, Manoj Bodake, Pappu Parkhe, Deepak Gaikwad, Durgesh Vaidya, and Raju Borage. Shockingly, one of the assaulters recorded the assault, sharing the video on social media, which quickly caught public attention.

The injured victims were promptly taken to a nearby hospital, and a complaint was lodged by one of them, Shubham Magade, with the police. A comprehensive case was registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The incident prompted outrage, leading to a shutdown in Haregaon village as a mark of protest.

Political Fallout:
While the incident itself is deeply troubling, it is essential to note that political actors sought to exploit it. The opposition Congress party criticized the incident as a disgrace to humanity and accused the ruling BJP of promoting hatred for political gains. Similarly, the Nationalist Congress Party criticized the government for failing to protect the dignity of Dalits.

Conclusion:
The incident involving the brutal assault on four Dalit men in Ahmednagar highlights the need for social harmony and swift justice. It is vital to distinguish between facts and misinformation to prevent narratives that could lead to further divisions. While the incident is distressing in itself, it’s crucial to avoid sensationalism and politicization, focusing instead on delivering justice to the victims and preventing such incidents in the future. Following comprehensive analysis and meticulous fact-checking, our team has investigated the claim. You can refer to the findings of this inquiry in the Twitter thread embedded below and for better clarity, you can refer to an article by the Times of India. [Archive]

Claim: A sensitive video circulating online suggested a Dalit atrocity.

Fact: Misleading claims; the assault on four youths was prompted by theft suspicions, not caste considerations.

Also Read: American Former Baseball Outfielder, Michael Morse Hits Invisible Home Run?