58 booked under SC/ST Act for slapping JJP MLA

At least 58 people, including a woman, have been booked under various Sections of the SC/ ST Prevention of Atrocities Act and the Indian Penal Code for allegedly slapping and misbehaving with sitting Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) MLA from Guhla Ishwar Singh.

The incident took place on July 11 when the MLA had gone to review the arrangements for the flood victims at Bhatiyan village of his constituency. In a video which went viral on social media, the flood victims could be heard slamming the MLA for the poor management and a woman slapped him on the face.

The FIR has been registered under Sections 3(1)(r), 3(1) (s) and 3(2) (va) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention and Atrocities) Act and Sections 147, 149, 323, 341, 342, 506 and 120 B of the IPC against the accused.

In the police complaint, Suresh Kumar, the gunman of the MLA, alleged that on July 12 he was accompanying the MLA during latter’s visit to Bhattiyan village along with several other officials of the district administration. When they entered the village around 4 pm, a group of around 60 people gheraoed the MLA and started misbehaving with him. The accused abused him and also insulted him with caste slur and forced him to sit on the ground. When the MLA was trying to leave, a woman, Rani Devi slapped him, he said in the complaint.

On being contacted on Wednesday, the MLA said that hundreds of people were angry with their act, and they reached the police station, and the FIR was registered. Even the Haryana Vidhan Sabha Committee for the Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes has also taken note of the incident and issued notices to Kaithal deputy commissioner and superintendent of police to appear on July 26.

Sunil Kumar, Guhla DSP, said that the FIR has been registered and he will investigate the case as per the Act, but no arrest has been made so far.