AGRA: A Dalit family of three was allegedly beaten up and their livestock shed burnt down by a man from the Thakur caste at a village in Mainpuri on Saturday evening, because they did not greet him in public. An FIR has been filed against five including the main accused, according to the police. Hariom Katheria , 35, of Daulatpur village told TOI he was working in the fields near his house when the man from Thakur caste, Chhote Lala, passed him. Lala allegedly got infuriated as Katheria did not greet him when he passed, and started abusing the Dalit."He took off his slippers and beat me. When my wife, Meera, and brother, Shyam Sunder, intervened, they too were thrashed," Katheria alleged. Katheria later went to Chhote Lala's house to complain about his behaviour to his family, where another altercation happened. "I returned home around 7.30 pm. A little later Lala arrived with his associates from the nearby village of Bajhera and again assaulted my family and me," he said.The assailants also allegedly fired six rounds from their firearms in the air and set the cattle shed at Katheria's house on fire."An FIR has been filed against five persons including Chhote Lala, from Daulatpur and Chhotu and Sumani from Bajhera village. Lala's father Balram Singh has been arrested and a search is on for the others, who are absconding," said Mainpuri superintendent of police Sunil Saxena."The men have been booked under various sections of the IPC including rioting, assault and attempt to murder, besides the SC/ST Act," the SP added.BSP Agra mandal coordinator Deepak Paintar also visited Katheria's house. He said if the accused are not been arrested within two days, the party would launch an agitation against the police.The incident comes five months after a poor Dalit couple, Bharat Singh and Mamta, were chased and hacked to death by Ashok Mishra, a Brahmin shopkeeper, in Mainpuri on July 28 as they were unable to repay his debt of a mere Rs 15.

Stay updated with all the Agra Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.