Ahmednagar district of western Maharashtra witnessed yet another caste atrocity last weekend as a 23- year-old Dalit youth was beaten to death because his phone had the ringtone of a song praising Babasaheb Ambedkar. The police said that nursing student Sagar Shejwal was beaten to death at a liquor shop in Shirdi by seven men belonging to the Maratha and OBC communities on Saturday after they heard his phone proclaim, “Tumhi Karare Kitihi Halaa, Lay Mazboot Bhimacha Killa” ‒ attack as much as you may, long live Ambedkar. Shejwal, who studied in Nashik, was visting his family in Shirdi last week to attend a cousin’s wedding. Since it had been several months he had met his friends, they decided to grab a drink, said 21- year-old Satish Gaikwad, who was with Shejwal at the liquor shop that afternoon along with 19- year-old Avinash Pachore. According to a statement Gaikwad made to the police, the three friends bought some liquor from BM Wines and were drinking in a space behind the store. “Sagar’s phone rang,” said Gaikwad. “He had set a song on Ambedkar as his ringtone. Hearing the song, the men on the neighbouring table came near us and started abusing Sagar. One of them was so angry that he began hurling abuses at Sagar and asked him to switch the cell phone off. Sagar did not relent. This angered Kote even more. He held Sagar by his collar, dragged him towards his table and broke a beer bottle on his head.” Fearing for his life, Pachore ran away from the spot, but Gaikwad stayed tried to shield Shejwal. He was also been injured in the scuffle. CCTVs around the shop have captured some part of the attack. Four of the men have been arrested. They have been identified as Vishal Kote, Rupesh Wadekar, Somnath Wadekar and Sunil Jadhav. Three others are absconding.
