Rajkot: A 54-year-old labourer was allegedly assaulted and subjected to casteist slurs by an engineer and two others at the Junagadh Municipal Corporation office on Monday.The victim, Karshan Solanki, a resident of Vrundavan Nagar Society on Madhuram Bypass Road, has been admitted to Junagadh Civil Hospital with injuries. Based on his statement recorded at the hospital, Junagadh B Division police registered an FIR late on Wednesday night against the engineer and his two unidentified associates.According to the complaint, around 11am on Monday Solanki went to the civic body’s construction department to follow up on an application. Finding the office largely unstaffed, he began recording a video on his phone and questioned the absence of workers.Police said this led to a confrontation with a person in the office, after which the engineer and another man arrived. The FIR alleges that the trio then verbally abused Solanki for repeatedly visiting the office and kicked and punched him. During the assault, they allegedly subjected him to casteist slurs.The assault stopped when Solanki’s friend, Lokesh, arrived and intervened. Solanki later called the 112 emergency services and was taken to hospital for treatment.Police booked the accused under Sections 115(2), 296(b) and 54 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
