Hockey player Vandana Katariya's family faces casteist slurs after loss in SF match in Tokyo Olympics
text_fieldsIn an unfortunate incident, India's women hockey team key player Vandana Katariya's family had to hear casteist slur hours after Indian women's hockey team was defeated by the Argentinian team on Wednesday in a semifinal contest at Tokyo Olympics.
Two upper caste men burst crackers and danced in mock celebrations at Vandana Katariya's home at Roshnabad village in Haridwar, and also hurled caste abuses at her family, saying that the team had lost because it had "too many Dalit players," as reported by TOI.
According to the report, the police has detained one of the accused though an FIR is yet to be registered.
"Suddenly, right after the match, we heard loud noises. Crackers were being burst outside our house. When we went outside, we saw two men from our village — we know them and they are upper castes — dancing in front of our house", Vandana's brother Shekhar told TOI.
"They used caste slurs, insulted our family and said the Indian team lost because too many Dalits have made it to the team. They went on, saying that it's not just hockey but every sport that should keep Dalits out," Shekhar added.