Five more people belonging to the Dalit community tried to commit suicide in two separate incidents in Gujarat as protests against the thrashing of four Dalit boys allegedly skinning a dead cow in a village on July 11, in Una town continued in Saurashtra region.
The incident comes within 24 hours of seven youngsters attempting suicide, three consuming poisonous substance in Bantva, Junagadh. Identified as Dilip Parmar, Rasik Vinjhuda, and Dinesh Vegda, authorities said they were immediately rushed to the Civil hospital. Two other youth tried to kill themselves in Gondal, where five had attempted suicide on Monday. Dalit protesters set three state transport buses on fire, including two in Dhoraji, and one in Dhrol near Jamnagar. A telephone exchange was also vandalised in Rajkot. Making matters worse was a 2,000-strong mob that marched and attacked two state transport buses in Amreli, Saurashtra. More than a dozen people including seven policemen were injured in incidents of stone pelting by the community people.
The state government has seemingly not been affected by the protests and has only initiated an inquiry by the CID into the incident of the beating of the four Dalit boys. The government said it was committed to the protection of Dalits, in a drab statement the government said it has already suspended four police officials and arrested nine persons in the case. Protesters resorted to stone throwing and sit-ins. They also blocked traffic on the main highway to Rajkot and Jamnagar. State Transport authority cancelled buses on several routes in Rajkot, Porbandar, and Junagadh districts.
The dalits were thrashed by Shiv Sainiks near Una while they were skinning a dead cow alleging that they killed the cow. The agitating dalits dumped dead cows in government offices to demand justice for the victims. The police had deployed tight security in the wake of their threat of self-immolation since July 16 but they reached Dr Ambedkar's statue and drank poisonous substance. In Jam Kandorna village too two persons consumed poisonous substance. The condition of all seven is said to be stable.
