Rajasthan: Blind father of Dalit youth allegedly lynched last month in Alwar commits suicide, blames police for ‘suppressing investigation’

Upset with the insensitivity shown by Rajasthan police in handling his son’s case, father of the Dalit youth, who had died last month after being allegedly beaten mercilessly by a mob after his bike hurt a Muslim woman in the Fasla village, committed suicide by consuming poison on Thursday.

Rattiram Jatav was quoted by his relatives as saying, that he was upset with the police “trying to suppress the investigation” into his son Harish Jatav’s death. They further said that even in his final moments, Rattiram accused the police of shielding the accused. Shockingly, the Alwar police have claimed that Rattiram was brought dead to the hospital and they have started the investigation in the matter.

Last month, Rattiram’s son, Harish Jatav, was passing through the market in Fasla village under Chopanki police station in Alwar, Rajasthan, when a Muslim Hakiman (traditional Muslim female physician) was hit by his bike. Angry locals had reportedly thrashed Harish severely after the accident. He had succumbed to his injuries two days later.

Harish’s family had alleged that after his bike hit the woman, Harish was brutally beaten up by a man named Umar Sher and his associates. The family has lodged an FIR under sections 323, 343 and the relevant sections of the SC/ST (prevention of atrocities) Act.

Then also the Rajasthan police had mentioned that there was no evidence to indicate that Harish was lynched by a mob. Recently, the Congress government in Rajasthan had passed stringent laws against mob lynching.

OpIndia Staff: Staff reporter at OpIndia