Gujarat police on Saturday refused to back the theory that the 21-year-old dalit youth from Bhavnagar district was killed by forward caste members for owning or riding a horse.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the boy was not killed just for owning the horse as has been alleged in the FIR. Instead, we have come across a lot of complaints about objectionable behaviour of the boy from various quarters and perhaps some persons may have killed him for that,” Pravin Mal, SP, Bhavnagar, told mediapersons. “We are trying to ascertain the true reason and nab the culprits.”
The dalit youth, Pradeep Rathod, from Timbi village, about an hour’s drive from Bhavnagar city, was found dead on the streets on Thursday night. As per the complaint filed by his father Kalubhai Rathod, Pradeep had received threats from members of forward castes in the village in the past for buying a horse couple of months ago.
Kalubhai had alleged that Pradeep was killed for the very same reason. The police said that during investigation, they had received complaints against the boy. “Some villagers complained that the boy would perform stunts on the horse and on motorcycle whenever he confronted young girls. He also used to enter into fights,” the SP said.
The police said that they have also come across multiple complaints against Pradeep’s father Kalubhai, for various incidents of land grabbing.
The SP said that they were yet to identify and nab the culprits who killed Pradeep. The three persons picked up on Friday were detained for mere questioning. The police has formed four teams to nab the culprits. The family of Pradeep performed his last rites on Saturday. (DH)
