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| The Indian Dalit man killed for eating in front of upper-caste men | The Indian Dalit man killed for eating in front of upper-caste men |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A helpless anger pervades the Dalit community in the remote Indian village of Kot. | A helpless anger pervades the Dalit community in the remote Indian village of Kot. |
| Last month, a group of upper-caste men allegedly beat up a 21-year-old Dalit resident, named Jitendra, so badly that he died nine days later. | Last month, a group of upper-caste men allegedly beat up a 21-year-old Dalit resident, named Jitendra, so badly that he died nine days later. |
| His alleged crime: he sat on a chair and ate in their presence at a wedding. | His alleged crime: he sat on a chair and ate in their presence at a wedding. |
| Not even one of the hundreds of guests who attended the wedding celebration - also of a Dalit boy - will go on record to describe what happened to Jitendra on 26 April. | Not even one of the hundreds of guests who attended the wedding celebration - also of a Dalit boy - will go on record to describe what happened to Jitendra on 26 April. |
| Afraid of backlash, they will only admit being at a large ground where the wedding feast was being held. | Afraid of backlash, they will only admit being at a large ground where the wedding feast was being held. |
| Only the police will come on record to say what happened. | Only the police will come on record to say what happened. |
| The wedding food had been cooked by upper-caste residents because many people in remote regions don't touch any food prepared by Dalits. | The wedding food had been cooked by upper-caste residents because many people in remote regions don't touch any food prepared by Dalits. |
| "The scuffle happened when food was being served. The controversy erupted over who was sitting on the chair," police officer, Ashok Kumar, said. | "The scuffle happened when food was being served. The controversy erupted over who was sitting on the chair," police officer, Ashok Kumar, said. |
| The incident has been registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities Act) - a law meant to prevent atrocities against historically oppressed communities. | The incident has been registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities Act) - a law meant to prevent atrocities against historically oppressed communities. |
| Dalits, formerly known as untouchables, sit at the bottom of the Hindu caste hierarchy. The community have suffered public shaming for generations at the hands of upper-caste Hindus. | Dalits, formerly known as untouchables, sit at the bottom of the Hindu caste hierarchy. The community have suffered public shaming for generations at the hands of upper-caste Hindus. |
| Dalits continue to face widespread atrocities across the country and any attempts at upward social mobility are violently put down. | Dalits continue to face widespread atrocities across the country and any attempts at upward social mobility are violently put down. |
| For example, four wedding processions of Dalits were attacked in the western state of Gujarat within a week in May. | For example, four wedding processions of Dalits were attacked in the western state of Gujarat within a week in May. |
| It is still common to see reports of Dalits being threatened, beaten and killed for seemingly mundane reasons. | It is still common to see reports of Dalits being threatened, beaten and killed for seemingly mundane reasons. |
| The culture that pervades their community is visible everywhere - including in Kot, which is in the hilly north Indian state of Uttarakhand. | The culture that pervades their community is visible everywhere - including in Kot, which is in the hilly north Indian state of Uttarakhand. |
| Local residents from the Dalit community allege that Jitendra was beaten and humiliated at the wedding. | Local residents from the Dalit community allege that Jitendra was beaten and humiliated at the wedding. |
| They say he left the event in tears, but was ambushed again a short distance away and attacked again - this time more brutally. | They say he left the event in tears, but was ambushed again a short distance away and attacked again - this time more brutally. |
| Jitendra's mother, Geeta Devi, found him injured outside their dilapidated house early the next morning. | |
| "He had been perhaps lying there the entire night," she said, pointing. "He had bruises and injury marks all over his body. He tried to speak but couldn't." | "He had been perhaps lying there the entire night," she said, pointing. "He had bruises and injury marks all over his body. He tried to speak but couldn't." |
| She does not know who had left her son outside their home. He died nine days later in the hospital. | |
| Jitendra's death is a double tragedy to his mother - nearly five years ago her husband also died. | Jitendra's death is a double tragedy to his mother - nearly five years ago her husband also died. |
| This meant that Jitendra, who was a carpenter, became the only breadwinner of his family and had to drop out of school to start working. | This meant that Jitendra, who was a carpenter, became the only breadwinner of his family and had to drop out of school to start working. |
| Family and friends describe him as a private man who spoke very little. | Family and friends describe him as a private man who spoke very little. |
| Loved ones have been demanding justice for his death, but have found little support among the community. | Loved ones have been demanding justice for his death, but have found little support among the community. |
| "There is fear. The family lives in a remote area. They have no land and are financially fragile," Dalit activist Jabar Singh Verma said. "In surrounding villages too, the Dalits are outnumbered by families from higher castes." | "There is fear. The family lives in a remote area. They have no land and are financially fragile," Dalit activist Jabar Singh Verma said. "In surrounding villages too, the Dalits are outnumbered by families from higher castes." |
| Of the 50 families in Jitendra's village, only some 12 or 13 are Dalits. | Of the 50 families in Jitendra's village, only some 12 or 13 are Dalits. |
| Dalits comprise almost 19% of Uttarakhand's population and the state has a history of atrocities committed against them. | Dalits comprise almost 19% of Uttarakhand's population and the state has a history of atrocities committed against them. |
| Police have arrested seven men in connection with Jitendra's death, but all of them deny any involvement. | Police have arrested seven men in connection with Jitendra's death, but all of them deny any involvement. |
| "It's a conspiracy against our family," a woman whose father, uncles and brothers are among the accused, said. "Why would my father use caste slurs at a Dalit's marriage?" | "It's a conspiracy against our family," a woman whose father, uncles and brothers are among the accused, said. "Why would my father use caste slurs at a Dalit's marriage?" |
| "He must have been embarrassed that he got beaten and popped dozens of pills that led to his death," another upper-caste person in the village said. | "He must have been embarrassed that he got beaten and popped dozens of pills that led to his death," another upper-caste person in the village said. |
| But the Dalits in the village, who are livid over Jitendra's death, hotly deny these claims. | But the Dalits in the village, who are livid over Jitendra's death, hotly deny these claims. |
| They say Jitendra suffered from epilepsy, but insist there is no chance that he overdosed on his medication. | They say Jitendra suffered from epilepsy, but insist there is no chance that he overdosed on his medication. |
| Apart from these expressions of anger, Dalit families in the village have largely remained silent. | Apart from these expressions of anger, Dalit families in the village have largely remained silent. |
| "It is because they are economically dependent on families from the higher castes," activist Daulat Kunwar said. | "It is because they are economically dependent on families from the higher castes," activist Daulat Kunwar said. |
| "Most Dalits are landless. They work the fields of their wealthy upper caste neighbours. They know the consequences of speaking out loud." | "Most Dalits are landless. They work the fields of their wealthy upper caste neighbours. They know the consequences of speaking out loud." |
| Jitendra's family has already experienced some of these consequences - Geeta Devi says they are under pressure to stop pushing for the truth. | Jitendra's family has already experienced some of these consequences - Geeta Devi says they are under pressure to stop pushing for the truth. |
| "Some men came over to our house and tried to scare us," she said. "There is no one to support us but I will never give up our quest for justice." | "Some men came over to our house and tried to scare us," she said. "There is no one to support us but I will never give up our quest for justice." |