Viral video on Dalit beating was movie clip

An alleged atrocity against Dalits that went viral on social media last month in Nizamabad district of Telangana has turned out to be an enactment meant for a short film. Lakshman and Rajeswar, who were allegedly abused by a BJP leader Bharat Reddy from Nizamabad town, have claimed that the video clip was part of a short film produced by Reddy.

In the video that was taken on a mobile phone, two Dalit youth were allegedly beaten up by a local sand contractor when they objected the transporting of sand from a rivulet.

On November 11, the video went viral on Facebook with furious netizens demanding stern action against the culprit. Certain section of people even linked Reddy to few leaders of ruling TRS from Nizamabad , who were accused of being members of the sand mafia.

The case turned mysterious when Reddy and the two Dalit youths went missing. The wives of the youth approached the local police seeking protection of their husbands. Some Dalit groups lodged police complaints and cases under SC/ST (Prevention) of Atrocities Act were registered against Reddy. 

However, Lakshman and Rajewar appeared before Nizamabad police on Friday and claimed that the video was part of a short film produced by Bharat Reddy; and that they were paid Rs 20,000 each for acting in the scenes. The Nizamabad rural police officials who spoke to this newspaper on Saturday said that they were still verifying the claims of the two youths. Meanwhile, Bharat Reddy is still at large.