0 months ago
Ten years after Una flogging, victims seek funds for appeal
Ten years ago, in a town called Una in India, some men accused four Dalit people of hurting cows, tied them up, and beat them in public.
Videos of the beating made many people across the country very angry.
This year, a court let 35 of the accused people go free and punished only five.
The four victims think this is unfair and want a higher court to look at the case again.
But going to a higher court costs a lot of money.
One of the victims, Vashram, is asking kind people to send money to help his family.
His family earns only about 350 rupees a day by selling milk, and they do not own any land.
People still treat them badly and do not give them work, which makes everything harder.
Vashram hopes that with people's help, his family can keep fighting for justice.
In March 2026, a Gujarat trial court convicted five men and acquitted 35 others, including three policemen, over the 2016 public flogging of four Dalits in Una.
Victim-complainant Vashram Sarvaiya is appealing the verdict and seeking public donations via UPI to fund the High Court fight.
The Gujarat High Court heard the appeal on July 20 and listed the next hearing for August 25.
Sarvaiya estimates at least Rs 2 lakh is needed immediately; of about 30 people in Gujarat he contacted since July 11, 10 have contributed.
The family earns only about Rs 350 a day from milk sales and has stopped seeking work because of the stigma from the 2016 incident.
- Who
- Vashram Sarvaiya, a Dalit victim of the 2016 flogging, who is the complainant in the case, along with the Gujarat High Court hearing his appeal.
- What
- Months after a trial court acquitted 35 of 40 accused in the Una flogging case, the victim is appealing and seeking public donations to continue the legal fight.
- Where
- Una and Mota Samadhiyala village in Gir Somnath district, Gujarat, India; the appeal is before the Gujarat High Court.
- When
- The flogging occurred on July 11, 2016; the trial verdict was delivered on March 16, 2026; the appeal was heard on July 20 with the next hearing set for August 25.
- Why
- The family says it is financially broken and believes the acquittals denied them justice after a decade of struggle, so it is seeking funds to pursue the appeal, potentially up to the Supreme Court.
Victims and their supporters
Accused and the trial court verdict
The trial verdict
Victims and their supporters
Victims call the March verdict a 'sad judgment' that 'hushed up' the case after a decade of struggle, and are challenging the acquittal of 35 accused, including three policemen, in the High Court.
Accused and the trial court verdict
The Veraval sessions court convicted only five of the 40 accused and acquitted the remaining 35, including the three policemen who faced charges such as abetment, neglect and forgery of public records.
Who killed the cows
Victims and their supporters
The four Dalit men were skinning cows that were already dead, one of which had been killed by a lion, as part of their traditional occupation, and were falsely accused of killing cattle.
Accused and the trial court verdict
A group of men claiming to be gau rakshaks arrived in two vehicles and accused the Dalit men of killing the cows.
Funding the legal battle
Victims and their supporters
The victim's family, which earns only about Rs 350 a day, appeals to society and well-wishers for funds, saying the family is financially completely broken and needs help to win the fight for dignity and self-respect in the High Court and Supreme Court.
Accused and the trial court verdict
The accused also created a fund to help carry on their legal battle, and Vashram said they have received clandestine support from political organisations.
Key facts
- Incident
- July 11, 2016 – public flogging of four Dalit men in Una, Gir Somnath district, Gujarat
- Victims
- Vashram, Bechar, Ashok and Ramesh
- Trial verdict
- March 16, 2026 – five convicted, 35 acquitted, including three policemen
- Presiding judge
- Veraval Additional Sessions Judge Jignesh Pandya
- Those convicted
- Ramesh Jadav, Rakesh Joshi, Nagjibhai Vaniya, Pramodgiri Gausvami, Balvantgiri Gausvami
- Funds sought
- At least Rs 2 lakh immediately for the High Court appeal
- Family income
- About Rs 350 per day from selling milk
- Next hearing
- August 25, 2026, before a division bench of the Gujarat High Court
Quotes
Vashram Sarvaiya
Dalit victim seeking to fund legal appeal
“"After ten years of struggle, our case was hushed up at the Veraval sessions court… We are angry, and we want to fight. We have moved the High Court; we will take it up to the Supreme Court if we have to. We will fight for as long as we live. If even the Supreme Court doesn’t give us justice, we will then agitate against the government,"”
indianexpress.com
“"Over the last 10 years, we have had to incur a lot of expenses to pursue this case. Our sources of income are limited. For a decade, we did not ask for help, but now we need it and I have appealed to society. We will need money to fight in the High Court and, if needed, in the Supreme Court as well,"”
indianexpress.com
indianexpress.com
Sources
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