Katni: A video has emerged showing a 15-year-old boy and his grandmother being brutally beaten by officers inside the Katni Government Railway Police (GRP) station. The incident, which reportedly occurred last year, involved the station in-charge, Aruna Vahane, and other officers. The duo was allegedly assaulted due to suspicion of theft.
In the footage, the boy, identified as Deepraj Vanshkar, and his grandmother, Kusum Vanshkar, are seen being beaten with belts by the police. Deepraj described the incident to reporters, stating, “They held me down, restraining my arms, legs, and even my head. One officer placed his foot on my neck. They beat me up with belts, and my grandmother was also subjected to the same treatment.”
Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari shared the video on X (formerly Twitter), accusing the police of targeting a Dalit family. He criticised the ruling BJP, stating that Dalit oppression has become a tool for political malice.
Katni Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhijit Kumar Ranjan confirmed the incident but noted that the case falls under GRP jurisdiction. He mentioned that authorities are in a “wait and watch” mode regarding further action, as they are verifying the authenticity of the video.
SP Railway Jabalpur later confirmed that the video dates back to October 2023, and stated that the accused had a reward of Rs 10,000 on his head. Some reports suggest that the theft charges are actually against the boy’s father.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is expected to visit Katni on Thursday to meet the family of the victims. Jitu Patwari, who is also expected to join the visit, criticised the BJP-led government in Madhya Pradesh for its alleged failure to protect Dalits and Adivasis.
