Seven arrested for stripping, assaulting Dalit man in Chhattisgarh's Sakti

Seven persons were arrested on Friday for allegedly in Chhattisgarh’s Sakti district, The Indian Express reported, quoting police officials.

The 21-year-old man was allegedly assaulted on Thursday for being in a relationship with a 16-year-old girl from an , according to The Hindu.

Videos of the assault were circulated online on Friday, following which, the police took suo moto cognisance of the matter.

A first information report was registered by getting a community head to act as the complainant, Sakti Superintendent of Police Ankita Sharma was quoted as saying by The Hindu.

The case was registered under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita sections pertaining to attempt to murder and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989.

The man sustained injuries to his left eye and body and was being treated at the Raigarh medical college.

His relatives told The Hindu that he was caught by the girl’s family when he had visited her home. The man’s brother claimed that he was held captive overnight and assaulted with water pipes, batons, footwear and needles.

“We are from the Satnami community [a Scheduled Caste group in Chhattisgarh] and they are Chandras, one of the Other Backward Classes groups,” the man’s brother said. “Hence, they were opposed to their courtship. My brother was also subjected...