India News

Dalit flogged in Badayun, UP; en masse conversion to Buddhism in Una Gujarat

Published

8 years ago

April 30, 2018

Dalit flogged in Badayun, UP; en masse conversion to Buddhism in Una Gujarat

Amid reports of brutalised Dalits converting to Buddhism en masse in Gujarat’s Una district, came news of Rajputs in Uttar Pradesh’s Badayun flogging a Dalit labourer for not obeying their orders to come immediately for harvesting their wheat crop.

Sitaram, a Dalit agricultural labourer in Azampur Bisoria village in Badayun district, was tied to a tree, flogged badly and his moustache ripped out by the village thakurs. Media reports said the thakurs had asked him to cut the standing wheat crop in their fields. Sitaram reportedly told them he could come only after two days.

This infuriated the thakurs. They dragged him to the village square, tied him to a tree and thrashed him. Still not satisfied, they pulled out his moustache, said media reports.

The incident occurred on April 23 but the local police registered a case only a week later after the intervention of Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Srivastav, said media reports.

UP Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Commission has taken cognisance of the incident. The UP SC ST Commission chairman Brijlal directed ADG Police (Bareilly zone) to proceed to the spot, take stern action against the culprits and ensure security of the victim of the assault. He has also sought a report on alleged police negligence and the action taken against the officers responsible.

The news comes at a time when hundreds of Dalits in Una, Gujarat converted to Buddhism on Sunday, a day before Buddha Jayanti, in reaction to the injustices meted out to them and the oppression of caste-based atrocities and discrimination.

Reacting to the development on Monday, April 30, BJP MP Udit Raj cited “social injustice” as the reason behind the move and called it “a dangerous situation”. ANI quoted him as saying: “Dalits are beaten up for even having a moustache. I don’t know what alternative they have.”

Pradip Parmar, the BJP MLA from Asarva who was present at the conversion, told the gathering, “I congratulate those who are set to take diksha… I am a BJP worker and the party gave me a ticket, but had Babasaheb not given the Constitution and the provision of reservation, I would not have become an MLA.”

The conversion ceremony was held at the village Mota Samadhiyala, 15 km from Una in the Saurashtra region of the State where four persons were flogged in 2016 for skinning a dead cow in village near Una.

Those who converted to Buddhism included the four and 45 members of their family.

Vahsram, Ramesh, Ashok and Bechar had been allegedly beaten up by ‘cow vigilantes’ while skinning the carcass of a cow in Mota Samadhiyala village on July 11, 2016. The assailants had accused the Dalits of slaughtering the cow. Balu and Kunvar, who rushed to the spot to rescue the four, and Devashi Babariya and Arjan, who tried to intervene, had also been beaten up. Later, the accused had taken Vashram, Ramesh, Ashok and Bechar to Una town, tied them to a vehicle and publicly flogged them. Videos of the incident had gone viral, leading to an outcry.

Police investigation later determined that the cow had been killed by a lion.

Balu Sarvaiya, one of the converts, said, “We are embracing Buddhism today. There is no point being in a religion in which you are treated as second class,” reported The Indian Express (IE).

He said that even two years after the incident, the State government had hardly done anything for the victims, who were mercilessly flogged, tied onto an open jeep and paraded on the streets.

“It has been more than two years that our sons were flogged. The state government hasn’t given us any help so far. We haven’t got justice yet and all the accused are out on bail,” Balu Sarvaiya, the victims’ father, told TOI over the phone.

“After the incident, there was Dalit uprising. But we continued to face discrimination. Even our own community members told us not to adhere to a religion after tolerating humiliations. Even today, we shudder to see the flogging video,” Sarvaiya added.

In all, said a IE report, more than a thousand Dalits, including the family allegedly flogged by cow vigilantes in July 2016, converted to Buddhism at an event organised in Mota Samadhiyala village near Gujarat’s Una district.

Not believing in Hindu gods and goddesses was among the 22 resolutions that the converts made. The conversion will be recognised only when registered with the district collector, as per the Gujarat Freedom of Religion law.

Speaking to The Indian Express after the conversion ceremony, Balu said, “I feel relieved and empowered today. Today I junked blind faith forever. This is so liberating. After I was assaulted and humiliated, I realised that these things were burdening me. Now that I have thrown them out of the window, there will be a revolution. Now no god or goddess will prevent us from doing what we want to do. We shall study, educate ourselves and choose suitable professions.”

Ramesh told the media, “We followed Hinduism for thousands of years, but were never treated as a fellow Hindu by other faithful. We were not allowed to enter temples and were treated as untouchables. When we went to work on someone’s farm, we were asked to bring our own utensils for meals. Fed up of all these prejudices, we converted to Buddhism.”

This was the second major conversion event held in Saurashtra after one in Junagadh in late 2013.

Related Topics:Dalit Uttar Pradesh Yogi Aditiyanath

Up Next

Biplab Deb delivers yet another gem: Buddha walked on foot across India, Tibet, Japan etc

Don't Miss

100 per cent villages electrified – a status report

India News

Indian Army Agniveer CEE Result 2026 declared, ARO-wise merit list released

The Indian Army has announced the Agniveer CEE Result 2026. Candidates can now download the ARO-wise merit list and check their eligibility for the next stages of recruitment.

Published

7 hours ago

July 13, 2026

APNLive Desk

The Indian Army has announced the Agniveer Common Entrance Examination (CEE) Result 2026, allowing candidates to check their qualifying status through the official recruitment portal. The Army Recruitment Office (ARO)-wise merit lists have been uploaded on joinindianarmy.nic.in, where candidates can download the PDF corresponding to their recruitment region.

The merit lists contain the names and roll numbers of candidates who have successfully cleared the written examination and become eligible for the next phase of the Agniveer recruitment process.

How to check Indian Army Agniveer CEE Result 2026

Candidates can access their results by following these steps:

Visit the official Indian Army recruitment website.
Click on the Agniveer CEE Result 2026 link available on the homepage.
Select the relevant Army Recruitment Office (ARO) or recruitment region.
Download the merit list PDF.
Search for your roll number or name to confirm your qualification status.

What happens after the Agniveer CEE result?

Candidates shortlisted in the Common Entrance Examination will now have to undergo the remaining stages of the recruitment process. These include:

Physical Fitness Test (PFT)
Physical Measurement Test (PMT)
Document Verification (DV)
Medical Examination

Only candidates who successfully clear every stage will be considered for final selection under the Agniveer recruitment programme.

Candidates advised to verify details carefully

After downloading the merit list, candidates should carefully check all the information mentioned in the document. If they notice any discrepancy related to their result or personal details, they should immediately contact their respective Army Recruitment Office (ARO) for assistance.

Candidates are also advised to keep checking the official Indian Army recruitment portal for updates regarding the schedule, venue and instructions for the upcoming physical tests, document verification and medical examination.

India News

Delhi air quality slips to poor as AQI reaches 261, highest in over 85 days

Delhi’s air quality entered the ‘poor’ category after AQI touched 261, its highest level since April 17. Authorities attributed the spike to transnational dust from Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.

Published

8 hours ago

July 13, 2026

APNLive Desk

Delhi’s air quality fell into the ‘poor’ category on Sunday after the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) climbed to 261, marking its highest level in more than 85 days, according to official data.

The reading was the highest since April 17, when the AQI stood at 263. Just a day earlier, Delhi had recorded an AQI of 140, while air quality had largely remained in the ‘moderate’ and ‘satisfactory’ categories for most of the month.

Transnational dust behind spike in pollution

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said the sudden deterioration in Delhi-NCR’s air quality was mainly caused by long-range winds carrying mineral dust generated by storm activity in Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.

According to the commission, these dust-laden winds reached northwestern India, including Delhi, resulting in a significant rise in PM10 concentrations. Strong surface winds across the Indo-Gangetic Plain also contributed to the increase in pollution levels.

The CAQM said Delhi’s air quality is expected to remain in the ‘poor’ category for the next few days before improving once the transnational dust spell weakens.

No GRAP Stage-I restrictions for now

Despite the worsening air quality, the CAQM decided not to implement GRAP Stage-I restrictions, stating that the current pollution episode has been triggered by transnational dust rather than local emission sources.

However, the commission directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to intensify dust control measures across the city.

As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an AQI between 201 and 300 falls under the ‘poor’ category.

Delhi experiences humid weather

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the maximum temperature at Safdarjung reached 36.8 degrees Celsius, which was 1.3 degrees above normal, while the minimum temperature settled at 28.3 degrees Celsius, one degree above the seasonal average.

Although the actual maximum temperature remained below 37 degrees Celsius, high humidity pushed the feels-like temperature to 45.7 degrees Celsius by 5:30 pm.

Among other weather stations, maximum temperatures were recorded at 37 degrees Celsius at Lodhi Road, 36.6 degrees Celsius at Palam, 36.2 degrees Celsius at Ayanagar and 36 degrees Celsius at Ridge.

Minimum temperatures stood at 27.1 degrees Celsius in Palam, 27.2 degrees Celsius in Lodhi Road, 27.4 degrees Celsius in Ayanagar and 25.6 degrees Celsius at Ridge.

Weather outlook

The IMD has forecast strong surface winds during the daytime on Monday, with the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to remain around 37 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Relative humidity varied between 64 per cent at 8:30 am and 52 per cent at 5:30 pm.

India News

Red Fort bomb threat declared hoax after extensive security checks in Delhi

Delhi Police declared a bomb threat targeting the Red Fort a hoax after conducting a detailed security search following an alert received from Mumbai Police.

Published

2 days ago

July 11, 2026

APNLive Desk

Delhi’s iconic Red Fort witnessed heightened security on Saturday after authorities received a bomb threat targeting the historic monument. Following a detailed inspection and sanitisation drive, Delhi Police confirmed that the threat was a hoax and no explosives were found.

Threat call routed through Mumbai Police

According to officials, the threat was initially received by the Mumbai Police Control Room. The caller allegedly claimed that the Red Fort would be blown up.

Mumbai Police immediately shared the information with the Delhi Police Control Room, which alerted the North District Police. Security personnel were deployed at the monument, and a comprehensive search operation was launched to ensure public safety.

After completing the inspection, officials ruled out any security risk and declared the threat to be false.

Security concerns remain high after previous terror incident

The latest threat comes around eight months after a deadly vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (IED) blast near the Red Fort Metro Station claimed 15 lives and left several others injured.

Investigators had alleged that the blast was carried out by Umar-un-Nabi, a Kashmiri doctor associated with Al-Falah University in Faridabad, who was driving a Hyundai i20. The explosion occurred on the same day security agencies recovered around 2,900 kg of explosives, including ammonium nitrate, from neighbouring Faridabad in Haryana.

According to investigators, the accused allegedly triggered the explosion after two suspected associates were arrested and the explosives were seized during the operation.

Authorities had identified several other accused linked to the case. Investigators alleged that the group was part of a white-collar terror module associated with Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, an al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist organisation.

Earlier arrests linked to alleged attack plots

In May, Delhi Police’s Special Cell arrested nine men who were allegedly linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim.

Police alleged that the accused were planning attacks on critical infrastructure and security personnel in Delhi, Mumbai and other parts of the country. According to investigators, potential targets included airports, railway stations, power plants and other vital installations.

Although Saturday’s bomb threat was found to be fake, the incident once again prompted swift security measures at one of the country’s most significant heritage sites.