Man burnt to death in Ghaziabad caste conflict

GHAZIABAD - Caste conflict took an ugly turn in Tatarpur village of Ghaziabad Saturday when an upper caste man was burnt to death by people belonging to the Dalit community, police said. Three accused were arrested while one is absconding.

The Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) has been deployed in the locality after tension prevailed in the area.

There was a conflict between the family of the deceased, Viresh, and some members of the Dalit community over regular barging of animals in the premises of the deceased.

When Viresh was sleeping in his cattle yard early Saturday, the men belonging to the Dalit community allegedly poured kerosene in his room and set it on fire. They bolted the room from outside.

Viresh’s wife saw four men — Sukka, Bobby, Ashok and Sanjay — fleeing after setting the room on fire, Superintendent of Police (rural) M.M. Baig said.

The woman called her son Virendra who informed the police and rushed the victim to the local government hospital where Viresh was declared dead while undergoing emergency treatment.

“The accused used to taunt and leave their animals in our cattle yard. It was a regular practice. My father used to object but they deliberately teased us,” Viresh’s son Virendra told IANS.

“On Virendra’s complaint, a case was registered against the four men. Sukka, Bobby and Ashok were arrested while Sanjay is absconding,” Baig said.