Dalit Man Beaten to Death in Sitapur as Wife and Daughters Plead for His Life

Manoj Gautam, a 35-year-old Dalit man, was beaten to death near National Highway 30 in Ludhaura village of Sitapur on the evening of October 15, while his wife and daughters watched helplessly and pleaded with the attackers to stop the assault. The incident has prompted demands for the arrest of all the accused and support for the traumatised family.
Gautam was returning from the market when he was attacked with sticks near National Highway 30. His wife and daughters pleaded with the assailants during the assault, but the attack continued. He was taken to a nearby health centre, where he died from his injuries.
Police have arrested four of the six suspects named in the case, including two women. The case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Police have cited family rivalry as the motive behind the attack.
The arrests have not ended demands for action against all those named in the case. Activists are calling for the remaining suspects to be arrested and for the family to receive support following the incident.
The killing has left Gautam's wife and daughters traumatised after they witnessed the fatal assault. The investigation and the demand for the arrest of all six named suspects remain central to calls for accountability in the case.