Berhampur, June 23: Two Dalit men were reportedly subjected to severe physical and mental abuse in Kharigumma village, under Dharakote block in Ganjam district, according to local reports.
The victims, while traveling from Haripur to Singipur with three cows to offer as dowry for their daughter's marriage, were stopped by a group of individuals in Kharigumma. They accused the men of being cow smugglers and demanded money. When the victims refused to comply with the demand, they were brutally beaten, and their heads were partially tonsured.
The abuse reportedly escalated when the victims were allegedly forced to crawl on their knees for nearly two kilometers along the village roads from Kharigumma to Jahada. They were further humiliated by being fed grass and made to drink drain water, according to their statements.
Both men managed to escape their captors and later filed a written complaint at the Dharakote police station. The police have since admitted them to a local hospital for medical treatment. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, and further developments are awaited.
This case has sparked widespread outrage, and calls for justice are growing from local communities and human rights organizations.
