Katni, Madhya Pradesh | October 19, 2025
In a chilling display of caste-based violence that has ignited nationwide outrage, a 36-year-old Dalit farmer in Madhya Pradesh's Katni district was savagely beaten, urinated upon, and hurled casteist slurs after protesting illegal gravel mining near his farmland. The horrific incident, captured on a viral video that spread like wildfire on social media, has led to the booking of four individuals, though the accused remain at large as police investigations intensify.
The assault unfolded on the evening of October 13 in Matwara village under the Bahoriband police station limits. Rajkumar Chaudhary, a resident of the village and a member of the Scheduled Castes community, had objected to the unauthorized excavation of gravel from the Ramgarha hill adjacent to his agricultural field. The gravel, allegedly mined illegally, was being used for the renovation of the local Gram Panchayat office building. According to Chaudhary's complaint, the dispute quickly escalated when he confronted the village sarpanch and his associates, who were overseeing the operations.
What began as a verbal altercation turned into a brutal mob attack as Chaudhary made his way home near the village's Muktidham area. Armed with rods and sticks, the assailants ambushed him, raining blows while spewing derogatory caste-based abuses and death threats. In a particularly dehumanizing act, one of the attackers—identified as Pawan Pandey, son of the sarpanch—allegedly urinated on the prostrate victim. Chaudhary's mother, who rushed to his aid, was not spared; she was dragged by her hair and beaten as she tried to intervene.
"I was just protecting my land from being destroyed," Chaudhary told reporters from his hospital bed at the Katni district hospital, where he sought treatment for multiple injuries including bruises and lacerations. "They treated me worse than an animal, all because of my caste. How can this happen in independent India?"
The graphic video of the assault, first shared by local activists and amplified by outlets like The Mooknayak, shows the victim writhing in pain amid a crowd of onlookers who failed to intervene. It quickly garnered tens of thousands of views, prompting swift police action. Based on Chaudhary's FIR, authorities registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for assault and criminal intimidation, alongside provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
The four named accused are village sarpanch Ramanuj Pandey, his son Pawan Pandey, nephew Satish Pandey, and another associate, Ram Bihari Pandey. Notably, the sarpanch had filed a counter-complaint against Chaudhary earlier that day, accusing him of abuse and threats in connection with the same dispute. Katni Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Santosh Dehariya confirmed to media that a thorough probe is underway, with witness statements being recorded and forensic evidence being collected from the scene. "We are committed to ensuring justice and have launched teams to apprehend the absconding accused. No stone will be left unturned," Dehariya assured.
The sarpanch, Ramanuj Pandey, vehemently denied the allegations, labeling them as "politically motivated" to tarnish his reputation ahead of local elections. "There was no illegal mining; we were simply sourcing gravel for public works. The video is doctored, and Chaudhary is backed by opposition elements," he claimed in a statement to local TV channels.
The incident has drawn sharp political condemnation, reigniting debates on the persistence of caste atrocities in BJP-ruled states. Congress leader and AICC Media and Publicity Chairman Pawan Khera took to X (formerly Twitter) to lambast the Madhya Pradesh government, calling it a "ghastly reminder" of unchecked Dalit oppression under BJP regimes. In a scathing post, Khera listed over a dozen similar cases from March to October 2025 across Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh, including gang-rapes, murders, and assaults on Dalits. "The message is clear: as long as the BJP holds power, violence against Dalits will not stop," he wrote, urging immediate arrests and a special investigation. The post, which has amassed over 21,000 views, sparked a flurry of replies from supporters, with many echoing calls for #DalitLivesMatter.
Activists and Dalit rights groups, including the Bhim Army, have organized protests in Katni and Bhopal, demanding the accused's immediate arrest and compensation for the victim. "This is not just an assault on one man; it's an attack on the dignity of millions," said a local Bhim Army coordinator. The case bears eerie similarities to the 2023 Sidhi urination incident, where a BJP-linked individual was seen urinating on a tribal man, leading to national uproar and his eventual arrest.
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data underscores the grim trend: crimes against Scheduled Castes surged to 57,789 cases in 2023, with Madhya Pradesh logging 8,232 incidents—placing it third behind Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Rights advocates warn that rural power dynamics, often intertwined with illegal mining rackets, exacerbate such vulnerabilities for marginalized communities.
As the investigation progresses, the eyes of the nation remain on Katni. For Chaudhary and his family, recovering from physical wounds is one battle; restoring faith in a caste-free society is another. Police have promised updates within 48 hours, but for now, the viral video serves as a stark indictment of simmering social fault lines in India's heartland.
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