The Crossbill News Desk
The death of Nilesh Rathod, a Dalit man from Gujarat's Amreli district, has sparked outrage after he succumbed to injuries sustained in a caste-based assault.
Rathod was allegedly beaten for referring to a minor from a different caste as “beta” (son), prompting sharp criticism from Vadgam MLA and Dalit rights activist Jignesh Mevani.
Rathod died on May 22 while undergoing treatment, nearly a week after being assaulted on May 16.
The incident, as described in an FIR filed by Lalji Mansukh Chauhan, a witness and co-victim, occurred after Rathod visited a local shop to purchase snacks. Rathod reportedly addressed the shopkeeper’s son as “beta” while offering to help retrieve items hung from a hook.
The shopkeeper allegedly responded by trying to strike Rathod with an iron ladle. Later, a group of men, including the shopkeeper, allegedly attacked Rathod and other Dalit men, mocking them for "overreaching" despite their caste.
Speaking out on social media on May 23, Mevani condemned the silence of top political leaders from the state.
“The Prime Minister is from Gujarat, the Home Minister is from Gujarat, but they don’t express their condolences, not even through a tweet. Whenever such incidents occur, neither the Minister for Social Justice, the Home Minister, nor the Chief Minister of Gujarat visits to console the aggrieved. It is people like us, from Dalit organisations and the Ambedkarite movement, who have to step in. The government has a casteist mindset,” he said in a post on X.
In the same post, Mevani recounted the details of the attack and expressed anguish over the repeated incidents of caste-based violence in Gujarat, citing the infamous Una case and others.
“From Una till now, many such casteist incidents have repeatedly come to light, yet the BJP government, the Chief Minister of the state, and the Home Minister do not even want to appeal to society, saying that Dalits are also our brothers—why are you treating them like this, why are they being murdered? This shows that whether Dalits are treated as untouchables or are killed, it does not make any difference to the BJP,” he added.
Police have identified 11 accused in the case and arrested nine so far, according to officials quoted by The Indian Express.
The incident has once again brought caste violence into the spotlight in Gujarat and raised questions about systemic discrimination and the lack of prompt response from state authorities.
Rathod was allegedly beaten for referring to a minor from a different caste as “beta” (son), prompting sharp criticism from Vadgam MLA and Dalit rights activist Jignesh Mevani.
Rathod died on May 22 while undergoing treatment, nearly a week after being assaulted on May 16.
The incident, as described in an FIR filed by Lalji Mansukh Chauhan, a witness and co-victim, occurred after Rathod visited a local shop to purchase snacks. Rathod reportedly addressed the shopkeeper’s son as “beta” while offering to help retrieve items hung from a hook.
The shopkeeper allegedly responded by trying to strike Rathod with an iron ladle. Later, a group of men, including the shopkeeper, allegedly attacked Rathod and other Dalit men, mocking them for "overreaching" despite their caste.
Speaking out on social media on May 23, Mevani condemned the silence of top political leaders from the state.
“The Prime Minister is from Gujarat, the Home Minister is from Gujarat, but they don’t express their condolences, not even through a tweet. Whenever such incidents occur, neither the Minister for Social Justice, the Home Minister, nor the Chief Minister of Gujarat visits to console the aggrieved. It is people like us, from Dalit organisations and the Ambedkarite movement, who have to step in. The government has a casteist mindset,” he said in a post on X.
In the same post, Mevani recounted the details of the attack and expressed anguish over the repeated incidents of caste-based violence in Gujarat, citing the infamous Una case and others.
“From Una till now, many such casteist incidents have repeatedly come to light, yet the BJP government, the Chief Minister of the state, and the Home Minister do not even want to appeal to society, saying that Dalits are also our brothers—why are you treating them like this, why are they being murdered? This shows that whether Dalits are treated as untouchables or are killed, it does not make any difference to the BJP,” he added.
Police have identified 11 accused in the case and arrested nine so far, according to officials quoted by The Indian Express.
The incident has once again brought caste violence into the spotlight in Gujarat and raised questions about systemic discrimination and the lack of prompt response from state authorities.
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