Haryana Dalit worker hung in well and assaulted over theft suspicion in Hansi

A 32-year-old fabricator from Sorkhi village remains under medical care after being subjected to a brutal caste-based assault by a group of local men.

The tranquility of Sorkhi village in the Hansi district of Haryana was shattered by a harrowing incident of violence that has once again cast a spotlight on the persistence of caste-based atrocities in the state. Baru, a 32-year-old Dalit worker employed as a steel gate and door fabricator, was allegedly abducted, beaten, and hung upside down in a well by a group of men who accused him of stealing a motor pump.

The incident reportedly took place on June 1 around 12:30 p.m. while Baru was traveling from Sorkhi to Bhatol village. According to the police complaint, Baru had stopped near the agricultural fields belonging to one Surendra to manage a bout of sudden illness. It was there that he was confronted by a group of men—identified in the FIR as Deepak, Pawan, Joga, Pawan Mandasa, and the farm owner, Surendra—who accused him of the theft.

A brutal ordeal captured on video

The victim alleged that the group subjected him to a violent assault, raining down kicks, punches, and blows from sticks. Matters escalated when the men tied Baru with a rope and lowered him upside down into a nearby well, reportedly in an attempt to coerce a confession out of him. The torment was allegedly documented by Surendra, who filmed the ordeal on his mobile phone.

For days, the victim remained silent, paralyzed by threats from his attackers who warned him that reporting the crime would lead to his death. However, as his physical condition deteriorated due to the trauma, Baru eventually sought medical help at the Civil Hospital in Hansi on June 4. The following day, he provided a formal statement to the authorities, detailing the entire sequence of events.

Investigation and legal action

Hansi Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar confirmed that an investigation is underway. Police are currently working to verify a viral video of the incident while actively tracking the accused, who remain at large. The Bas police station has registered a case against the named individuals, invoking serious charges including attempted murder, criminal intimidation, and wrongful restraint.

Crucially, the charges include sections under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. This legal framework is designed to address the systemic vulnerability of marginalized communities in India; however, the delayed reporting in this case—driven by genuine fear of retaliation—highlights the immense social barriers that often prevent survivors of caste-based violence from accessing justice immediately.