New Delhi: In a shocking incident of caste-based violence, a Dalit groom was assaulted for riding a horse as part of his wedding procession in Chadasana village, Gandhinagar district, Gujarat. According to NDTV, the perpetrators also hurled casteist slurs at the groom, asserting that only members of their community could ride horses, according to the groom’s cousin.

The incident occurred on Monday afternoon when Vikas Chavda, the groom, was en route to the bride’s house with approximately 100 participants in the procession. A man on a motorcycle intercepted him, forcibly pulled him off the horse, and slapped him, as per the complaint filed by Sanjay Chavda, the groom’s cousin.

Not only was Vikas physically assaulted, but he was also subjected to verbal abuse based on his caste identity. The accused individuals, identified as Sailesh Thakore, Jayesh Thakore, Samir Thakore, and Ashwin Thakore, all from the OBC community, joined forces to intimidate and threaten the victim.

As a result of the attack, Chavda was coerced into abandoning the traditional horse ride and had to resort to travelling to the bride’s house in a four-wheeler for the wedding ceremony.

Following the complaint, the authorities swiftly apprehended all four accused persons. They have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including wrongful restraint, voluntarily causing hurt, intentional insult, criminal intimidation, and relevant sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

This incident sheds light on the persistence of caste-based discrimination and violence in certain parts of the country, highlighting the urgent need for societal and legal reforms to ensure the protection and dignity of all individuals, irrespective of their caste or community affiliation.

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