Dalit wedding function attacked in India
Upper caste Hindu men attack Dalit wedding procession in Uttar Pradesh, victims cite caste slurs and police lapse after prior security plea in village
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Armed men linked to the dominant Hindu upper caste Thakur attacked a Dalit wedding procession in northern India’s Uttar Pradesh state, assaulting guests, firing shots and allegedly using caste slurs in what victims described as a targeted act of caste violence.
The attack occurred on Feb. 24 in Sunana village in Aligarh district, about 130 kilometers southeast of New Delhi. According to the groom’s family, the procession — known as a baraat, a celebratory march accompanying the groom to the bride’s home — was intercepted around 9 p.m. by men armed with country-made firearms, swords, iron rods and sticks.
Pawan Kumar, father of groom Anish Kumar, said the attackers questioned how the family “gathered so much courage” to take out a wedding procession. Several attendees, including the groom, were injured. The assailants allegedly vandalized the DJ system, chased guests and looted valuables before the ceremony was completed hours later.
Dalits, formerly known as “untouchables,” occupy the lowest rung of India’s centuries-old caste hierarchy. Though caste discrimination is outlawed under India’s constitution and specific federal legislation, including the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, violence linked to assertions of dignity — such as riding a horse in a wedding procession or passing through dominant-caste neighborhoods — continues to be reported from rural north India.
The family said they had approached local police in advance seeking security due to fears of violence. They allege officers initially deployed to the area had left before the attack occurred. While police later confirmed that a case has been registered, victims said their initial complaint was not immediately accepted.
Members of the Bhim Army and Azad Samaj Party visited the village and demanded arrests under the anti-atrocities law, compensation for the victims and accountability if administrative negligence is established.
Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan, leader of the Bhim Army, questioned the state’s response and called for stronger safeguards for marginalized communities.
Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state and governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, has witnessed recurring caste-linked confrontations in recent years. Analysts note that displays of upward mobility or public celebration by Dalit families can still provoke backlash in regions where traditional hierarchies remain deeply entrenched.
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