Two Dalit men were allegedly subjected to brutal physical and psychological abuse in Kharigumma village under Dharakote block in Ganjam district.
The victims were reportedly transporting three cows from Haripur to Singipur as part of a dowry arrangement for their daughter’s marriage when a group of locals stopped them.
The assailants accused them of smuggling cattle and demanded money. Upon refusal, the men were allegedly assaulted, their heads partially tonsured, and shockingly, forced to crawl on their knees for nearly two kilometres from Kharigumma to Jahada. The victims were also made to eat grass and drink drain water—acts evoking chilling memories of caste-based humiliation and mob vigilantism.
Both men eventually escaped and lodged a written complaint with Dharakote police. Authorities have since admitted them to a hospital for medical treatment and launched a formal investigation into the incident.
The case has reignited conversations about caste violence and vigilante justice in rural India, prompting social media outcry and calls for swift legal action. Civil society groups have also condemned the act and demanded accountability for those involved.
