Uttarakhand: Man beaten to death for eating in front of ‘upper caste’ people, three arrested

At least three people have been arrested for allegedly beating to death a man belonging to lower caste for eating in front of them at a wedding reception in Uttarakhand's Tehri district.

Confirming the arrests, DG Law & Order, Uttarakhand said that three out of seven accused have been arrested and a case has been registered under the SC/ST Act.

Jeetendra was thrashed by the upper caste men who lost their temper as they found him eating in front of them "despite being from a lower caste".

The incident took place on April 26 at a wedding reception in Shrikot village of the district. Jeetendra was critically injured and died at a hospital in Dehradun after nine days of treatment on May 5.

On the basis of a police complaint filed by Jeetendra's sister, a case was registered against seven persons -- Gajendra Singh, Soban Singh, Kushal Singh, Gabbar Singh, Gambhir Singh, Harbir Singh and Hukum Singh -- under the SC/ST Act, DSP Uttam Singh Jimwal said.

Last week, the Supreme Court reserved its verdict on the Centre's petition seeking review of its March 20, 2018 judgement which had virtually diluted provisions of arrest under the SC/ST Act.

The pleas have sought declaration of the new amendments to the Schedule Castes and Schedules Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act as ultra vires.

The amendments rule out any provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of atrocities against SC/STs, notwithstanding any court order.

They provide that no preliminary inquiry will be required for registering a criminal case and an arrest under this law would not be subject to any approval.