Bulandshahr (Uttar Pradesh), Jun 9 (IANS): Four members of a Dalit family, including two minors and a former village head, were allegedly thrashed by upper caste men for bathing in a tubewell reservoir in Khurja city of Bulandshahr district, the police said on Friday.

The former village head, Malkhan Singh, 58, said his family was taking a bath in the reservoir of a tubewell on Thursday when a group of 8-10 upper caste men, aged 20-25 years, of the same village arrived and attacked them with sticks.

Singh said, "We were bathing when some youths arrived near the reservoir. When the children playfully reached their side of the reservoir, they threatened us not to take a bath near them. An argument broke out when we protested, and they called more men, who then thrashed us mercilessly with sticks."

He added, "Around five to seven members of my family, including women and children, were injured in the attack."

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bulandshahr, Shlok Kumar, said "Police were informed that a group of upper caste people thrashed people from the Dalit community. The accused first asked them to leave or take a bath away from them saying 'both groups cannot bathe together'. After that, the two sides got into a heated argument and the Dalit family was thrashed by the youths."

An FIR has been registered at the Khurja police station under IPC sections 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 147 (punishment for rioting), 148, 323 (criminal assault), 504, 506 (criminal intimidation), and relevant sections of the SC/ST Act against 10 accused persons on Thursday.

The SSP added, "No arrest has been made so far. The injured are being provided treatment at the district hospital and their condition is stable. An investigation is underway and appropriate action will be taken."