A 32-year-old Dalit man and his parents were shot dead in Madhya Pradesh’s Damoh district on Tuesday after he was accused of stalking the wife of an upper caste person, reported PTI.
The attack happened early morning in Devran village after the wife of main accused Jagdish Patel alleged that her neighbour Manak Ahirwar stalked her, Damoh Superintendent of Police DR Teniwar told the news agency.
Patel went to Ahirwar’s house carrying a pistol, reported The Indian Express. He was also accompanied by a group of men who wielded lathis.
“The fight escalated and in the heat of the moment, Jagdish allegedly shot at Manak, his parents Ghamandi Ahirwar (60) and Rajpyari (58), along with his brother,” Teniwar said.
Manak Ahirwar and his parents died on the spot while his brother is in hospital.
Patel was arrested from a nearby village on Tuesday but five other co-accused are still absconding, reported NDTV. The police have filed a first information report against Patel and the other accused persons on charges of murder under the Indian Penal Code as well as the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Opposition leaders in Madhya Pradesh have demanded an investigation into the case.
Former Chief Minister of the state and Congress leader Kamal Nath expressed grief over the incident on Tuesday. “I demand a high level inquiry into this incident from the government,” Nath said in a tweet. “Strict action should be taken against the culprits.”
Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati also sought strict action against the accused men. “This incident exposes failure of Bharatiya Janata Party government in Madhya Pradesh in terms of law and order as well as security of poor, Dalits, tribals, and women,” she wrote on Twitter.
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