Dalit couple, son shot dead over dispute in Madhya Pradesh village

A 32-year-old Dalit man and his parents were shot dead in Madhya Pradesh’s Damoh drict on Tuesday after he had been accused of staring at the wife of one of the assailants, police said. The 32-year-old victim’s two younger brothers were injured in the attack while the main accused has been arrested, officials said. The incident took place around 6.30 am at Devran village under Dehat police station limits, some 20 km from Damoh drict headquarters, Superintendent of Police D R Teniwar said. Six assailants, who belonged to the same village, allegedly shot dead the 60-year-old Dalit man, his 58-year-old wife and their 32-year-old son. The elderly couple’s two other sons, aged 28 and 30, were injured in the attack and undergoing treatment at the drict hospital, the official said. Inspector General of Sagar zone Anurag told reporters after visiting the village that there had been a dispute after the couple’s eldest son — who was killed in the attack — was accused of often staring at the wife of the main accused, Jagdish Patel. Patel was arrested after the killings, the IG added. A case was regered against Patel and five others on the charges of murder under the Indian Penal Code as well as provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, SP Teniwar said. Search was on for the five absconding accused, he added. Divisional Commissioner Mukesh Shukla, who also visited the village, directed the drict collector to take action against encroachments on government land the accused and his family. State Congress chief Kamal Nath demanded high-level inquiry into the killing of three members of the Dalit family. The government should ensure security of the family and provide all possible help to them, he added.

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