The victim suffered 27 percent burn injuries and is reportedly in critical condition
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — In a shocking incident that underscores the deeply entrenched caste-based violence and gender discrimination in India, a Dalit girl was reportedly set on fire by the son of a man who allegedly attempted to assault her. The incident has sparked outrage and highlights the precarious position of Dalit women in the country, who face intersecting layers of marginalisation due to both caste and gender.
The incident took place in Madhya Pradesh’s village near Khandwa, days after the Dalit girl filed a police complaint against her harasser.
In her complaint, the Dalit girl alleged that 48-year-old Mangilal tried to force himself on her when she was alone in a field on October 7. Subsequently, Mangilal was arrested on the same day but was granted bail the following day.
After his release, the girl’s relatives reported that they received threats from Mangilal’s family members.
According to the police report, Mangilal’s son, Arjun, barged into the victim’s house, poured petrol on her and burnt her.
Despite her injuries, the Dalit girl managed to escape the scene. She was rushed to a local hospital from where she was shifted to a facility in Indore. She suffered 27 percent burn injuries and is in critical condition, according to media reports.
Arjun has been arrested and charged with an attempt to murder under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). Khandwa’s superintendent of police (SP) Manoj Kumar Rai said that an investigation has been initiated. The police are also considering including charges against Mangilal for criminal conspiracy as a result of his possible involvement in the incident.
The brutality of the act reflects a disturbing trend of caste-based violence, especially against women from marginalised communities.
Dalits, formerly known as “Untouchables,” are at the bottom of India’s caste hierarchy and have historically been subjected to extreme forms of social discrimination and violence.
Despite legal protections like the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, violence against Dalit women continues at an alarming rate. Sexual harassment, physical assault, and other forms of violence are often used to silence their voices and keep them subjugated.
In this particular case, reports suggest that her attackers may have felt emboldened due to the lack of immediate legal consequences, a problem that is pervasive in many rural parts of the country.
Dalit rights activists have long argued that the government must do more to protect marginalised communities from such heinous acts of violence.
Human rights organisations have also raised concerns over the repeated failure of the state machinery to safeguard the rights of Dalit women. They argue that such crimes highlight systemic issues within Indian society, where caste and gender-based oppression remain rampant.
The incident has sparked outrage and criticism from various political parties. Condemning the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state government, Congress labelled the incident as “murder by government”.
BJP leader Mukesh Tanv has, however, defended the accused claiming that the Dalit girl had attempted suicide, according to a report in India Today.
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has taken cognisance of the case, and a formal inquiry has been launched.
