Seventeen persons were arrested after a clash between Hathras police and Dalit residents over the "removal of idols and portraits of Hindu gods" during a religious celebration held in Jatoi hamlet under Sadabad police station of Budaun district, police said on Friday.
While members of the Dalit community complained that police misbehaved with them, police said that they arrived at the location after receiving complaints about an event being conducted without permission on Wednesday night.
According to police officials, a video that went popular on social media showed youngsters destroying images of Hindu gods from the walls of a house. A young man carrying a sack can be seen and heard saying, "Have you seen any picture of Babasaheb or Gautam Buddha at the house of a Brahmin? Why have you people put these pictures inside this sack?"
Taking note of the viral video, authorities initiated an inquiry and arrived on the scene. When the police team enquired whether permission was obtained by Dalit youngsters to organise the religious celebration, they were attacked, according to police. In the attack, a sub-inspector and a constable were injured.
As many as 17 assailants and 50 unidentified individuals have been charged under various provisions of the law.
Udaiveer, one of the booked young men, said that following the incident, police agreed to investigate the misbehaviour by several cops, but they filed a complaint against them. He said they had nothing to do with the viral video.
According to Ashish Kumar, Station House Officer of Sadabad police station, "The police team was attacked when they enquired whether permission was taken to organise the religious event by Dalit youths. A sub-inspector and a constable sustained injuries in the attack. Seventeen attackers and 50 unidentified people have been booked under various sections”.