Dalit youth kills himself after village shuns him for accidentally killing a calf
Ramu threw himself in front a train in Itiyahthok area of Gonda in India
PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
An 18-year-old Dalit killed himself after he was socially boycotted by villagers for accidentally killing his pet calf in Gopalpur Barandi village, India.
Police said Ramu threw himself in front of a train in Itiyahthok area of Gonda. His body was found on Saturday morning, some four kilometres away from his home where he lived with his mother Cheriya Devi and three brothers.
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While there was no suicide note, station officer Ved Prakash Srivastava said finding out that the “villagers had decided to socially boycott him for killing his pet calf” may have prompted him to take his life.
Recalling the incident, village Pradhan Usha Devi’s husband Balram Tiwari said: “Three days ago, Ramu hit his pet calf with a hammer while taking the animal to the field for grazing. Ramu tied the calf there and returned home. Around two hours later, Ramu came to know through locals that calf had died because of the thrashing.”
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He added that a series of meetings were organised in the village where it was decided to socially boycott Ramu till the village panchayat made a final decision.
Tiwari revealed that Ramu's mother, Cheriya had asked for a panchayat meeting at 11 am on Saturday, following the villager’s decision to shun her son. “She requested me to attend the panchayat. An hour after she left, we came to know through locals that Ramu had killed himself by jumping in front of a train,” he said.
This article originally appeared in The Indian Express.
Police said Ramu threw himself in front of a train in Itiyahthok area of Gonda. His body was found on Saturday morning, some four kilometres away from his home where he lived with his mother Cheriya Devi and three brothers.
Indian police arrest three over murder of Muslim by cow vigilante mob
While there was no suicide note, station officer Ved Prakash Srivastava said finding out that the “villagers had decided to socially boycott him for killing his pet calf” may have prompted him to take his life.
Recalling the incident, village Pradhan Usha Devi’s husband Balram Tiwari said: “Three days ago, Ramu hit his pet calf with a hammer while taking the animal to the field for grazing. Ramu tied the calf there and returned home. Around two hours later, Ramu came to know through locals that calf had died because of the thrashing.”
Muslim man dies after attack by cow vigilantes in India
He added that a series of meetings were organised in the village where it was decided to socially boycott Ramu till the village panchayat made a final decision.
Tiwari revealed that Ramu's mother, Cheriya had asked for a panchayat meeting at 11 am on Saturday, following the villager’s decision to shun her son. “She requested me to attend the panchayat. An hour after she left, we came to know through locals that Ramu had killed himself by jumping in front of a train,” he said.
This article originally appeared in The Indian Express.