SIRAHA: Members of a Dalit family were thrashed in Dhangadhimai Municipality-7 of Siraha district.

Ward chair Ganpait Yadav and his nephews Manoj Yadav, Bharat Yadav, Dilip Yadav and Dipan Yadav allegedly thrashed Sagar Devi Safi (40), her sons Umesh and Ranjit; her brother-in-law Magain Safi (50) and nephew Sudeep Safi, all residents of Kasaha in Dhangadhimai-7, on November 14.

Sagar Devi has been critically injured as her head was wounded in the beating, police informed. All the injured persons have been receiving treatment at a local private clinic. Sagar Devi was given nine stitches on her head, the health institution informed.

The Safi brothers — Sudeep and Ranjit — had been driving a tractor owned by ward chair's brother Nirpait Yadav. Tractor owner's son Bharat beat the drivers alleging that they had damaged the hydraulic pipe of the vehicle. The incident took place while a pile of sand was being loaded at local Gagan River on Saturday morning. Bharat also vandalised a motorcycle (Sa 8 Pa) belonging to Sudeep which had been parked at Nirpait's home. He broke the petrol tank and visor with a khukuri, police informed.

Incharge at temporary police beat at Dhangadhimai-8, Kamal Kumar Bhattarai informed that both parties compromised while Bharat even agreed to repair the motorcycle. However, in the evening, the settled dispute rose to a brawl. Bhattarai said that investigation into the case was underway.

Earlier in the evening, Bharat and his brothers Manoj, Dilip and Dipan, who were returning home after buying ritual items for Laxmi Puja, thrashed the tractor driver's cousin Umesh Safi whom they encountered on the way, local witness Suresh said.

Immediately, the family members of Umesh reached Nirpait's residence to complain about the thrashing. However, the Yadav family started beating them, Sagar Devi said, and added that they were frequently thrashed for minor faults. She said, the Dalits were often oppressed as their population was not very large.

It has been learnt that the youths allegedly involved in the act are still at large. Meanwhile, search is on for the youths, police informed and clarified that they escaped while police were busy rescuing the Dalit family.

Meanwhile, ward chair Ganpait said, the guilty will be punished and that the case would be resolved by holding talks in the village.