Dalit thrashing in Una: 7 youths attempt suicide amid protests in Gujarat

Ahmedabad/Rajkot : The ongoing protests over the brutal assault on some dalits at Una town in Gujarat worsened today as seven more youths attempted suicide with violence and arson spreading to various places in the state. The incidents of suicide bid were reported from districts of Rajkot, Porbandar, Botad and Gir-Somnath. With fresh incidents, the number of dalits who have attempted to kill themselves in the wake of the thrashing of seven youths by a vigilante group for allegedly slaughtering a cow on July 11 has gone up to 17. Dalits had denied killing the animal, contending that they only skinned a dead cow. In Dhoraji town of Rajkot district, three dalit youths today consumed some poisonous drink, following which they were rushed to a nearby hospital. The trio, identified as Yogesh Solanki, Vinod Solanki and Hitu Chauhan, were shifted to Junagadh civil hospital after their condition deteriorated. In Gondal town in the district, one Mukesh Chavda consumed poison and was admitted to civil hospital. In Bantwa town of Porbandar district, one Mahesh Rathod allegedly consumed poison, and was rushed to district hospital, police said. In Una, the place where dalit youths were flogged in a public view sparking the protests, one Raju Parmar tried to kill himself by consuming poison.