Police arrested the farmer thought responsible for the attack on the 15-year-old boy, whose Mahadalit caste is the lowest in India's still deeply entrenched hereditary social system.
The boy, Sai Ram, was attacked on Wednesday night in a village in Rohtas district of Bihar, one of India's most populous, underdeveloped and impoverished states.
"Ram was first badly beaten by (the) accused and later set on fire. He was declared dead when brought to a local government hospital," said Chandan Kushwaha, superintendent of police in Rohtas.
Kushwaha said police had registered a murder case against the farmer, who was arrested on Thursday, after the boy's family went to police requesting action.
"Police have begun their investigation into the case and raids continued to arrest the accused, who had absconded after the incident," he told AFP.
More than 138 million Indians belong to the lowest caste known as the Dalits, or "the oppressed," the term the community prefers to the archaic "untouchables".
In Bihar, the Mahadalits have been classed by the state government as the poorest of the Dalits.
Angry members of the opposition Communist Party of India protested in the area against the attack, blocking roads, the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported.
State chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, himself a Mahadalit, demanded swift action to bring those responsible to justice, and pledged compensation for the boy's family, PTI reported.
COMMENTS (9)
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@ All pakistani muslim trolls. This was done by individuals who are psychotic but our judiciary will definitely give them exemplary punishment. Unlike your judiciary which upheld death penalty for innocent christian women in the name of blasphemy.
1 billion plus people and one isolated case. How about daily shootings and burnings happening in Pakistan. I am against all these crimes against humanity
This is a terrible hate crime. Crimes such as these as well as crimes such as rape, murder and such can never be fully eradicated. However, they can be dealt with swiftly and justly. That is what is happening in this case. Hopefully, this will give pause to anyone contemplating such an act in the future.
No one has ever suggested that there is no crime in India. Crime happens everywhere except in the land of the pure. When there is a lack of appropriate response by the authorities, as in the Delhi rape case, people come out on the street and the politicians are kicked out at the next elections. This is how societies are supposed to work or do you know of a better way?
This is awful poor dillats of india. I wonder where those big mouths have gone now who can't help commenting if even potatos get expensive in Pakistan.
Next time Indians comment on social issue in Pakistan and how sad they were about them, redirect them here to show them their own self in the mirror.
All these things happen because there is no justice for the poor, either in Pakistan or India ... even in developed countries in the West the poor are mistreated. People only respect the law when it is enforced without any regard for money or status of the the folks who commit crimes. When you can buy your way through the justice system with money or influence you will continue seeing such atrocities.
Exemplary punishment should be awarded to the culprits. In areas and communities where caste system is prevalent, it should be the onus of the persons accused to prove beyond doubt that there was no caste bias. If caste bias is proved the punishment should automatically be more severe. Above all, it is necessary to dispense justice swiftly.
Government paid Indian Trolls are no where to be found now, they always sitting there and spewing venom at Pakistan and Pakistanis. it is sad that any human or even an animal be treated like this. My heart goes out to the bereaved family of this unfortunate boy who was born in so called lower cast by no fault of his own. I will not blame Indians as a whole because Pakistanis also has this problem of miss-treating minorities. When would we ever respect others for their beliefs and treat them equally. It is so sad.
It is really sad to see such atrocities being carried out at a time when the world has entered 21st century. Few weeks back a Muslim boy was burned in Telangana by Indian military personnel. Instead of pointing fingers on Pakistan, I seriously hope that Indians make efforts to address the issues existing in their country.
ET Please publish.