3 min readBhopalApr 23, 2026 07:11 AM IST
A 23-year-old Dalit groom was dragged off a horse and beaten during his pre-wedding procession in Damoh Tuesday evening, after a group of men allegedly objected to him riding through the village.
Golu Ahirwar was taking part in his Rachwai, a customary ritual, when his procession was stopped in a narrow lane. According to his family, a vehicle was deliberately parked to block the route. When relatives asked for passage, a group of local men confronted them and escalated the situation into violence.
The groom was pulled off the horse and assaulted with sticks and clubs. Video footage from the scene shows the procession breaking into chaos as the attackers target the groom and those accompanying him. Ahirwar, who is physically challenged, was beaten despite his condition.
The groom’s mother, Vidya Ahirwar, recounted the tense moments before her son’s wedding was ruined by the accused. “They told us not to take out the procession. We said the wedding is today, how can the ritual be completed without him riding the horse?” she said. “After that, they started beating us. They hit my daughter too, and some of her gold jewellery went missing during the assault.”
His sister, Manisha Ahirwar, said she was also assaulted when she tried to intervene. “They said a procession like this is not meant for people like us,” she said, describing how the group rushed at them after initially refusing to clear the way. The family also alleged that gold jewellery worn by her was stolen during the assault.
Police have registered a case under relevant sections, including the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Station in-charge Sudhir Kumar Begi said the accused objected to the groom riding a horse and forcibly stopped the procession before assaulting the group.
“Based on a complaint filed by the groom’s family, a case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections, including the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The accused persons objected to the groom riding a horse during the procession and then assaulted him and his relatives. We are identifying and searching for the accused, and they will be arrested soon. Police personnel have been deployed in the village to ensure the wedding is completed peacefully.”
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Following the attack, the family and members of the procession went directly to the police station to file a complaint. A police force has since been deployed in the village to prevent further tension. After a medical examination, the groom left to complete the wedding rituals in Chhatarpur district.
