The Congress party has established a five-member panel to investigate the alleged torture of two Dalit men in Odisha’s Ganjam district. The incident involved the men being falsely accused of cow smuggling. On Sunday, a mob shaved their heads, forced them to crawl, eat grass, and drink drain water. The victims were transporting a cow and two calves as part of a dowry. Preliminary investigations suggest extortion was the motive behind the attack, with the attackers demanding money for the cattle’s release. The Congress panel, led by Rama Chandra Kadam, will visit the village, interact with the victims, and submit a report. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemned the incident, calling it an attack on constitutional values and highlighting a rise in atrocities against marginalized communities in BJP-ruled states.
