A Dalit youth was mercilessly beaten up today by at least six youths reported belonging to upper castes at Duni bus stand in Tonk district in Rajasthan. According to reports, the Dalit youth incurred the ire of upper castemen by daring to chew paan in their presence. Taking it as an insult to them, the youths thrashed him and told him not to repeat the "blunder" in future.

Incidentally, none from the crowd at the bus stand came forward to save the Dalit youth, who in vain begged for mercy.

Later, when one Lal Chand and his family members went to a police station to lodge a FIR, the police reportedly refused to register it. Subsequently, some members of the Regar samaj reached the police station and forced the in-charge to register the FIR.

Meanwhile, encouraged by the "inaction" of police, some people reportedly belonging to upper castes, reached house of Lal Chand and threatened his family members.

Thereafter, members of the family rushed to the police station to lodge their complaint, but the in-charge told them not to disturb him. (Source: The Hindustan Times, 4 November,1998)