Gujarat: Dalit Groom Assaulted for Riding Horse in Wedding

In Gujarat's Mehsana district, a Dalit groom was attacked by upper-caste men for riding a horse during his wedding procession in Madi village. The incident happened on May 10 near the village dairy. The attackers allegedly used casteist slurs and told the groom that only the Darbar community has the right to ride a horse in processions. The groom's brother, Bhavik Rawat, filed a complaint against Tuvrajsinh Chauhan and Nikulsinh Chauhan. The accused reportedly mauled the groom and threatened the family, halting the baraat from proceeding to Ahmedabad for the wedding ceremony.

Local activist Kaushik stated that the attack shows Dalits still face discrimination despite constitutional protections. The Ladol police registered an FIR under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Act. This incident is part of a pattern of violence against Dalits exercising traditional rights. On April 29, a Dalit bride in Rajasthan's Udaipur was forced off a horse during her wedding procession. Days earlier, a physically handicapped Dalit groom in Madhya Pradesh was dragged off a horse and assaulted during his baraat.