Pune: In a disturbing act of casteist aggression in the Ramwadi area, Dalit homes, cattle sheds, and trees were brutally demolished, shocking the local community.
A 39-year-old victim, whose family was directly affected, has officially lodged a complaint with the Yerwada police. This incident occurred on the evening of September 24 at approximately 5:30 PM, near the Jai Maharashtra Dalit Mitra Mandal.
In response, the police have filed a case under the stringent Atrocities Act, targeting several individuals—Maruti Murlidhar Devkar, Datta Devkar, Hashi Devkar, Bobby Rathod, Monto, and a group of 10 to 15 male and female bouncers, all of whom are residents of Viman Nagar.
The conflict appears to have escalated from a longstanding personal rivalry. The complainant and the accused had previous acquaintances. The complainant's ancestral house and cattle shed, situated across from his current residence, became the focal point of the attack.
The accused, with deliberate force, began installing metal sheets on the access road leading to these properties, an action the complainant and his family opposed.
In retaliation, Maruti Devkar, a primary accused, launched into a torrent of caste-based abuse, shouting derogatory comments such as, “You, who live on the outskirts, dare to consider yourselves equals to us?”
Following this, the accused rampaged through the area using a JCB machine to wreak havoc on several properties. The homes of Balu Mane, Ashok Salve, Tanaji Kendaale, and the complainant were razed to the ground.
Their cattle sheds were also destroyed, and nearby Babool and Banyan trees were uprooted in the violent spree. In addition to the property damage, physical violence ensued.
Female bouncers, part of the mob, physically assaulted the complainant and his family members with bare hands and wooden sticks. The complainant’s elderly mother faced vulgar abuse and was subject to sexual harassment.
The Yerawada police have treated the case with severity, filing it under the Atrocities Act, a law designed to protect marginalized communities from such attacks. Assistant Police Commissioner Sonawane is leading the investigation.
This incident bears a chilling resemblance to the recent events in Bihar, where Dalit homes were set ablaze, exposing an alarming trend of violence against marginalized communities.
