Dalit youth humiliated and assaulted in India

NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A case of extreme caste-based humiliation and violence against a Dalit youth — a member of a community historically placed at the bottom of Hindu caste hierarchy — in central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh has triggered outrage after videos showing the abuse circulated widely on social media, underscoring the continued vulnerability of marginalized communities despite constitutional safeguards.

The incident occurred in Ambah, a sub-district of Morena district, located about 30 kilometers from the district headquarters. Police said the victim, a Dalit man, lived in a rented house on the same street as the main accused, reflecting the everyday proximity in which caste hierarchies often operate in rural and semi-urban India.

According to investigators, the accused — identified as Pui, also known as Dharmendra Tomar, a resident of Retpura village under the old Ambah police station limits — allegedly summoned the victim to his house over a dispute related to the non-repayment of a loan. Officials said the accused is a habitual offender with multiple previous cases registered against him.

Once inside the house, the victim was allegedly assaulted, verbally abused, and subjected to degrading treatment designed to assert dominance and inflict humiliation. Two videos later surfaced online, prompting police to take formal cognizance of the incident.

In one of the videos, the Dalit youth is seen being forced to crouch in a physically painful squatting position while being made to repeatedly slap himself — a form of degradation often used to assert dominance and inflict public humiliation. 

In another video, he is allegedly taken behind the Ambah Janpad office, a local government complex, where he is forced to perform obscene acts, including being made to touch his private parts. Police said the footage was recorded by one of the accused’s associates, indicating that the abuse was deliberately filmed rather than occurring spontaneously.

Senior police officials described the footage as deeply disturbing. Sameer Saurabh, the Superintendent of Police of Morena district, said the main accused had been arrested and further investigation was underway. 

He confirmed that the circulation of the videos intensified fear within the victim’s family. Following the incident and the spread of the footage, the victim’s family reportedly fled their rented home and is currently untraceable. 

Police said the family had previously shifted residences due to harassment and left again after the videos went viral, fearing further retaliation.

Ravi Bhaduria, Sub-Divisional Officer of Police for the area, said authorities moved quickly after the videos surfaced, registering a case and arresting the prime accused. He added that efforts were underway to locate the victim and his family and provide protection.

Rights advocates say the case reflects a persistent pattern in caste atrocities, where violence against Dalits is not only physical but symbolic — aimed at enforcing social hierarchy through public humiliation. The recording and circulation of such abuse, they note, serves as a warning mechanism within caste-dominated localities, reinforcing fear and silence.