BIDAR: A 42-year-old Dalit man was allegedly killed with an axe in Bidar district over a dispute on goats damaging crops, with police arresting four men and invoking provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The four accused, all residents of the village, were taken into custody later that evening. Ladhe objected to the damage to his crops and reprimanded him. An argument followed. Police allege that Ladhe then attacked the victim with an axe, striking him on the head and causing a severe injury. He had suffered a severe injury to his head. The caste related allegations form part of the complaint filed by the victim’s mother and are among the allegations being investigated by police.
The assault took place between noon and 1 pm on Thursday in Jirgyal village of Bhalki taluk, according to Bidar superintendent of police Pradeep Gunti.
Police said the victim had allowed his goats to graze in a field belonging to Pradeep Ladhe several days before the killing. Police said the confrontation was also linked to an earlier dispute involving Ladhe’s wife. The victim was reportedly a habitual drinker and his loud behaviour had frightened the accused’s wife, according to the Superintendent of Police. By the time the victim’s mother and father reached the field, he was dead, according to the complaint. The accused had left the scene, police said.
