Two Dalits thrashed in Andhra Pradesh, eight arrested

Vijayawada: Eight persons were yesterday arrested by Allavaram police in East Godavari district for allegedly thrashing two Dalits trying to skin a dead cow.

Police, however, clarified the incident, which happened late on Monday night, had nothing to do with "cow vigilantism" as suspected. CM N Chandrababu Naidu expressed anger over the incident and warned that anyone trying to disturb law and order would be sternly dealt with.

The arrested persons belonged to Kamanagaruvu village and were not "gau rakshaks", as suspected, a senior police official from Amalapuram said.

The cow of U Narayana Rao and Gangadhara Rao went missing a couple of days back. As they were searching for their cattle, they found the two Dalits near a burial ground at Sudhapalem village, trying to skin a dead cow. Suspecting that the two killed the cow, the villagers of Kamanagaruvu allegedly beat them up. The cow had actually got electrocuted and its owner had engaged the two Dalits to bury it.

The Dalits sustained severe injuries and were admitted to Amalapuram hospital. Narayana Rao, Gangadhara Rao and others were held yesterday and booked under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, a police official said.