Police arrested three upper caste persons accused in a Dalit houses burning case in Brahamanidihi village under Anantapur Panchayat in Balikuda block. The incident had occurred three weeks ago.
The accused persons were identified as Pratap Behera, Mihir Behera and Ramesh Behera. Soon after, they were presented in the SDJM Court Jagatsinghpur on Saturday where they were remanded in judicial custody.
Reports said that due to a village dispute, the accused upper class people assaulted three Dalit men such as Gopal Kandi, Govinda Kandi and Brundaban Kandi and set ablaze their 10 houses. The victims had complained at the Balikuda police station.
Protesting the police callousness, the District Dalit Bikash Parishad had staged an agitation before the Balikuda police station on March 26 and demanded immediate arrest of the accused, threatening to gherao the SP office if no action taken by March 11.