Dalit sarpanch killed in Gujarat for contesting election last year

A Dalit sarpanch of a village in Gujarat's Amreli district was allegedly killed by three persons, belonging to a forward community, who were against his election to the post, police said on Wednesday.

Jaysukh Madhad (25), the sarpanch of Varasda village in Amreli, was allegedly attacked late on Tuesday night by the three men who had warned him not to contest the election held last year, Amreli's Deputy Superintendent of Police (SC/ST Cell) Rajesh Parmar said.

On Tuesday night, Madhad was called near the house of one of the accused. The three men then hit him with an iron rod and a sharp object, Parmar said.

The victim was rushed to Amreli civil hospital where he died during treatment, police said.

An FIR was today lodged at Amreli (taluka) police station against the three men, among whom two are brothers.

The three accused have been booked under sections 302 (murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common goal) of IPC, and section 3(2)(5) of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Parmar said the reason behind the murder was being investigated.

"Villagers have alleged that Madhad was threatened by the accused not to contest the sarpanch's election. However, the seat from where he was elected is reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates. We are investigating the case from various angles and trying to find out the real motive behind the murder," he said.

The accused were yet to be arrested, he added.