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Why these Dalits tried to kill themselves in India's Gujarat Suicide as protest among Gujarat Dalits
(about 3 hours later)
More than 30 Dalit men have tried to take their lives in the western Indian state of Gujarat to protest against the public beating of four low-caste men by cow protection vigilantes. More than 30 Dalit have tried to take their own lives recently in the western Indian state of Gujarat.
Dalit groups told the BBC that while one of them died, the rest were saved due to timely intervention by their relatives and friends. They say it was a protest against the public beating of four low-caste Dalit men by cow-protection vigilantes, but psychiatrists have said their extreme response could be a case of mass hysteria, as BBC Hindi's Vineet Khare reports.
A recent video of the four Dalit men, believed to be tannery workers, being stripped and beaten with sticks, allegedly by the members of a Hindu hardline group in Gujarat's Una town, went viral and sparked massive protests by Dalit groups. A recent video of the four men, believed to be tannery workers, being stripped and beaten with sticks, allegedly by members of a Hindu hardline group in Gujarat's Una town, sparked massive protests by Dalit groups.
The men were assaulted as they were trying to skin a dead cow. Many Hindus consider cows sacred and the slaughter of the animal is banned in many Indian states. The men had been trying to skin a dead cow. Many Hindus consider cows sacred and their slaughter is banned in many Indian states.
Four of the men who tried to kill themselves in protest tell BBC Hindi's Vineet Khare what drove them to take such an extreme step. As the video gained traction online, some Dalit youth decided to kill themselves as an extreme form of protest.
Jagdeesh Bhai Dalit groups told the BBC that one man died, but the rest were saved by relatives or friends.
I am a daily-wage worker. I earn 300-400 rupees ($4.46-5.95; £3.40-4.54) a day. Among them was Jagdeesh Bhai, a daily wage worker who earns about 400 rupees ($6; £4.50) a day.
I attempted suicide by consuming acid. I did it for my community. We want justice. We don't get justice. "I did it for my community. We want justice. We don't get justice", he told BBC Hindi.
Steps like this will change the situation. Mr Bhai was found by members of his family who immediately rushed him to hospital, where he is receiving treatment.
I am married and I have a seven year old child. I knew my actions would hurt the family but still I did it. "Images from the video had been circulating in my head. They hit our brothers," he said, adding that he did not know what else he could do.
Images from the video had been circulating in my head. They hit our brothers. I wanted to show them we could do something. Sheer desperation
If we do not react, they (high-caste people) will further dominate the Dalits. Suicide as a means of protest has been employed across the world, most notably in recent times by Tibetan monks who have set themselves on fire in protest against Chinese rule.
I don't know how we will get justice, but we will. But the action taken in Gujarat has been called "unprecedented" by Indian experts, who say that the extreme step shows the sheer desperation of the community.
Kishorebhai Solanki "I have not met any of those who have attempted suicide but it looks like a case of mass hysteria, a need to be noticed," psychiatrist Himanshu Desai from the Gujarat city of Ahmadabad told the BBC.
The Dalits do not get justice. I saw the video on the internet and I consumed poison. "These people have fewer opportunities to come up. They are also impacted by how the media has covered the incident and put the spotlight on the condition of the community."
I thought this will send a message and also open a way out of our current situation. I have dedicated my life to the community. This is compounded by the fact that there are no mental health facilities or resources available to the community.
The video made me angry. I felt I should do something for the community. The Gujarat village Mr Bhai belongs to, for instance, has no access to mental health facilities, and the government hospital he is receiving treatment in has no psychologists or senior counsellors.
I have three brothers and I have two sons and a daughter. The only people attempting to comfort the troubled men in the hospital beds are their friends and family members.
I saw on TV that Mayawati (Dalit leader) is coming over. I think something for the Dalits will happen. The culprits should be sent to jail for at least 15 years. A relative of Dineshbhai Rajabhai Vegda gestures at the man lying immobile in bed.
Mahesh Raja Rathor "Doctors say he is fine but I don't think so. He repeats words, he slurs, he has no control over his actions. Sometimes he begins to laugh and then breaks into sobs. He has become like someone who is mentally ill," he said.
"I saw the video on my mobile phone and I was extremely hurt to see atrocities against Dalits. "The video of this incident has had a psychological impact on him. Sometimes he uses so much force it's difficult to control him."
No one instigated me to consume poison. I want the culprits to be punished. Cry for justice
You would have seen in the papers how badly the Dalits are treated in Gujarat. These incidents refuse to cease. The father of Mahesh Raja Rathore, another Dalit man who attempted suicide, says he does not believe his son did the right thing.
When I saw the video, I felt what's the use of this life? "Yes it is true that we are discriminated against. To this day, we cannot eat along with members of the upper caste from our village. But how will this solve anything?" he told BBC Hindi.
Dineshbhai Rajabhai Vegda His son says he consumed poison in an attempt to get the "culprits" in the video punished.
Mr Vegda's relative Mayur spoke to the BBC because he was too unwell "You would have seen in the papers how badly the Dalits are treated in Gujarat. These incidents refuse to cease. When I saw the video, I felt what's the use of this life?" he said.
He is 23 and is a daily-wage worker from Junagadh's Batwa village. Similarly, Kishorebhai Solanki, said he committed suicide because he "felt angry", but is now more hopeful that the uproar created by the video will translate into some justice.
Four men from our village attempted suicide. He did it because he was livid with the incidents of atrocities against the Dalits. "I saw on TV that Mayawati [Indian Dalit leader] is coming over. I think something for the Dalits will happen. The culprits should be sent to jail for at least 15 years," he said.
Such incidents keep happening but no one acts against the culprits.
Atrocities on the Dalits are taking place across the state.
The video of this incident has had a psychological impact on him.
Sometimes he uses so much force it's difficult to control him. Doctors say he is fine but I don't think so. He repeats words, he slurs, he has no control over his actions.
Sometimes he begins to laugh and then breaks into a sob. He has become like someone who is mentally ill.