Dalit family attacked by Bajrang Dal over beef in Koppa

Chikkamagaluru, Jul 23: Attacks on Dalits in the name of cow has now spread to Karnataka too. At least four members of a Dalit family were brutally attacked over beef issue in Koppa of Chikkamagaluru district recently.

According to sources, around 30-40 members of the Bajrang Dal barged into the house of a Dalit and attacked the family members claiming there was beef inside their house.

KL Ashok, general secretary of the Karnataka Communal Harmony Forum, said that the Bajrang Dal activists beat them mercilessly with sticks.

A 53-year-old's hand was fractured, and members of his family suffered internal injuries. All have since been discharged from a local hospital in Koppa town.

Local police filed a case against at least 30-40 alleged attackers under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015, after Dalit rights groups insisted that action must be taken against them.

This, however, did not go down well with local BJP MLA Jivaraj, Ashok said.

“He and the Bajrang Dal are planning to stage state-wide protests on the issue tomorrow,” he said, “First starting from Jaipura here.”

But rightwing Hindutva organisations won't be protesting unopposed: Dalit rights groups and activists alike are planning to hold a “Chalo Jaipura” on Monday as part of their agitations against the attack.