Dalit groom assaulted with swords for riding horse in Gujarat wedding
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Patan: A wedding procession of a young Dalit man in Paran district, Gujarat, was violently disrupted after members of the upper caste objected to the groom riding a horse, using swords, and hurling casteist slurs.
Local media reports indicate that the procession was stopped by a group of men allegedly angered by a lower caste man adopting a custom they considered exclusive to the upper caste.
A video of the incident circulated widely on social media, drawing widespread condemnation from users who criticised the mob’s adherence to regressive, decades-old caste practices.
The attackers, armed with swords, engaged in mob violence against the groom and his wedding party. In the video, the men can be seen brandishing swords and restraining others while questioning them for following the ritual.
Despite protections under the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, horse riding in Dalit weddings continues to be a means of dehumanising and marginalising the community.