3 Injured in Inter-Caste Fight After Dalit Groom Stopped From Mounting Horse in UP

Muzaffarnagar (UP): Three people of a Dalit community were injured in a clash during a wedding allegedly when some men from the upper class of the village objected to the groom's mounting a horse as part of the tradition, police said on Monday.

The incident took place in Madakarimupr village under the Khatauli Police Station jurisdiction.

Circle Officer Ramashish Yadav said the fight broke out when the groom's party started playing "casteist" songs during the horse mounting ceremony.

However, in its complaint, the groom's side alleged that some people from the upper caste objected to the youth's mounting the horse, an age-old custom in the north, saying that Dalits do not have the right to sit on a horse.

The wedding party was allegedly attacked with sharp weapons, sticks and guns, it said.

Several wedding guests, including the groom's brother, sustained injuries in the attack, the FIR said.

Yadav said police have registered a case against eight people under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and SC/ST Act and have arrested two of them.

Security has been deployed in the village to prevent any further flare-ups. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Republic and is published from a syndicated feed.)