In a shocking incident, a five month pregnant Dalit woman was severely beaten up by a group of upper castes men for refusing to dispose of carcass of dead cow in a village in North Gujarat. The incident occurred on September 23 late night.

The woman Sangeeta Ranawasia and her husband and others who were also injured in the attack were admitted in civil hospital in Palanpur while six persons have been arrested by the police in connection with assault.

Those arrested belong to Kshatriya community, upper caste, and they have been booked under prevention of atrocity act, rioting, intimidation and other charges.

"Medical condition of the lady is good as per the reports of the civil hospital doctors but still she is under observation," a state government press release noted.

"The family will receive their due assistance under the Atrocity Act in the next working day itself."

According to the details, one Natavarsinh asked Sangeeta and her family members to clear the carcass of dead cow from his field but they refused saying thy have stopped the practice of disposing of dead animals.

"They started beating us when we refused to remove carcass from Natavarsinh's field. They told us that its our duty and job to dispose of dead animals so we cant say no to it," said Ramesh Ranawasia, Sangeeta's husband, who sustained minor injuries and was discharged after primary treatment.

The state information department in a press release noted that senior police officials of the district had immediately rushed to the village and arrested all persons names in the FIR.

"Banaskantha superintendent of police (SP) and local administration visited the village and assured the victim's family of all help and round the clock police patrolling and protection," the release stated.

Besides visit by cops, even District Collector visited the woman and her family in Civil Hospital in Palanpur.

Ever since the Dalit unrest sparked by flogging incident un which four Dalits were mercilessly flogged by cow vigilantes in Saurashtra in July, Dalit community members have asserted that they would not dispose remains of dead animals in the villages.

It may be noted that around 2500 animals die per day in the state and most of them are disposed of by Dalits.

Following the flogging incident, Dalits carried out a month long protests against rising atrocities and have demanded lands from the government for farming.

There have been half a dozen incidents of violence and clashes when Dalits refused to clear bovine hides in villages in last two months.