Ludhiana, July 06: At least two Dalits were injured today in a inter community clash between Sikh Jats and Dalits in Bhatian village on the national highway near here. Angry Dalits, raising anti-government and anti-Jat slogans blocked the traffic on Ludhiana-Amritsar GT Road near Amaltas Tourist Complex for about an hour and a half, police officials said adding the blockade was lifted after persuasion by senior civil administration and police officials.
Sarwan Singh, the newly elected Dalit sarpanch of Bhatian said tension had been prevailing in the village since he defeated Jarnail Singh, a Jat, by a margin of 151 votes. According to him, the Jat's smarting under the defeat, chided and passed humiliating comments on some Dalit women who had gone to the fields a couple of days ago. They were also threatened to stay away from the fields, Singh claimed.
The matter, he claimed, was brought to the notice of the police but no action was taken against the alleged culprits. Matters came to head early this morning when two men were allegedly assaulted by some Jats of the village when they had gone to answer nature's call, the sarpanch said.
While the injured men were rushed to the hospital, other Dalits blocked the traffic on the main road in protest.
SP (city) Pritam Singh said a case has been registered on the complaint of the Dalits and four persons of the village have been taken into custody.
Although the situation was stated to be under control, tension still prevailed in and around the village, he said.
One Dalit youth was killed recently in Talhan village on the outskirts of Jalandhar city in a clash between the Dalit and Jat community. Bureau Report