The body of a Dalit boy, who committed suicide has been recovered by police Itiyathok area of Gonda on April 16. Ramu, who was socially boycotted by villagers for allegedly killing a calf was found dead near a railway track in Itiyathok.
According to the police, “the boy committed suicide by jumping in front of a train. However, no suicide note was recovered from him.”
Ramu, a labourer, was staying with his mother, Cheriya Devi, and three brothers in at Gopalpur Barandi village.
Ved Prakash Srivastava, Police Station Officer at Itiyathok, said “after the preliminary interrogation, he had come to know that villagers had decided to socially boycott him for killing his pet calf.” “No one from Ramu’s family has filed a complaint in this regard,”
“No one from Ramu’s family has filed a complaint in this regard,” Srivastava further added.
According to Balram Tiwari, Village Pradhan Usha Devi’s husband said “3 days ago, Ramu hit his pet calf with a hammer while taking the animal to the field for grazing. He tied animal in the field and returned home. After two hours later, Ramu came to know through locals that calf had died because of the thrashing.”
“After the calf died, a series of meetings were organised by the villagers where they decided to socially boycott Ramu till the village panchayat took a final decision,” Tiwari added.
Tiwari also explained, “a person accused of killing a cow or a calf has to stay alone outside the village for a year and also cook for himself.”
He added that on Saturday, Ramu’s mother Cheriya Devi visited his house and told a panchayat will be organised around 11 am in the matter at the village crossing. After an hour after she left, we came to know through a locals that Ramu had committed suicide by jumping in front of the train.”
