Authorities in India have razed the house of a man who was seen urinating on a tribal youth after his arrest.
Accused Pravesh Shukla was seen in an inebriated state, abusing the tribal worker Dashmat Ravat in Sidhi town in central India’s Madhya Pradesh and later urinating on him in a video which sparked outrage over the caste-based atrocity.
The state administration on Wednesday sent bulldozers to Mr Shukla’s residence in Kubri village and demolished the premises. A video of the demolition showed the house being razed as the accused’s family members condemned the action.
The man’s family members claimed that the viral video showing the act is an old one but being used for political reasons with elections looming in the Indian state. They did not explain how the video will impact elections.
Mr Shukla’s sister said: “It is an old video and is being circulated for political and electoral reasons,” reported Indian news agency ANI.
His father rejected the incident, saying “there is no way my son could have done this”.
“This is a conspiracy to frame him, we were also very distressed after we saw the video,” he claimed but did not explain the conspiracy.
Mr Shukla, believed to be a member of Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, according to a report by Indian newspaper Hindustan Times, is currently kept in Rewa Central Jail.
He was arrested on Wednesday after the incident first emerged on social media, prompting chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to issue the order for taking action against him under the stringent National Security Act (NSA).
“A viral video of Sidhi district has come to my notice... I have instructed the administration to arrest the culprit and take strictest action and also impose NSA,” he said in a tweet on Tuesday.
He has also been charged under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act – which is meant to provide protection to the historically oppressed.
“A criminal is a criminal. He does not belong to a particular caste, religion or a party,” wrote the chief minister, after it was alleged that the man was associated with BJP. He said the government will ensure "sternest possible punishment" for the accused. “We will not spare him (culprit) at any cost.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra said: "Irrespective of which party he is, whoever commits a mistake will be punished."
The wife of the victim demanded action against the accused. “He is my husband. If something wrong has been done, what has to happen will happen. There should be punishment if something wrong was done.”
The chief minister also visited the tribal worker on Thursday, and washed his feet as a gesture seeking an apology over the incident.
He spoke to the man and enquired about how he earned a living and whether he and his family are beneficiaries of government schemes.
“Dashmat ji, this is an attempt to share your pain, I also apologise to you, for me public is God," Mr Chouhan said. The top state leader also planted saplings with Mr Ravat.
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