Dalit Youth Sets Himself on Fire During Eviction in Etawah, Critically Injured

Etawah, UP: A 22-year-old Dalit youth in Etawah set himself on fire after authorities arrived to evict him from his ancestral house following a court order, in a shocking incident that sparked chaos at the site. The youth, identified as Shivam Valmiki, was critically injured and later referred to Saifai Medical College for advanced treatment.

Shivam lived with his family in a hereditary property located at Pakka Talab Chauraha in Etawah Sadar. A legal dispute over the house had been ongoing in the Civil Judge Junior Division Court, which recently ruled against him. Acting on the court’s decision, the Revenue Department, accompanied by Amin, Naib Tehsildar, other officials, and police personnel, arrived at the property to enforce eviction.

As Shivam’s belongings were being removed, tensions escalated. In a desperate act of protest, Shivam poured petrol over himself and set himself ablaze. Witnesses, including police officers, rushed to extinguish the fire and immediately took him to the district hospital. Due to the severity of his injuries, doctors transferred him to Saifai Medical College for further treatment.

Shivam’s family expressed outrage over the incident. His sister-in-law Jyoti alleged that Shivam had been pressured into signing documents by his brother-in-law during his intoxicated state, and after his brother-in-law’s death, Devi Prasad Patel filed the court case to reclaim the ancestral property. She accused Patel, a local hotel owner, of using wealth and influence to forcibly evict her family, claiming that officials and police aided in removing the household items and physically assaulted Shivam before he resorted to self-immolation.

Etawah CO Abhay Narayan Singh stated, “The Civil Judge Junior Division ordered the eviction of the property. The Revenue Department and police were carrying out the court order when Shivam set himself on fire. He is currently undergoing treatment at Saifai Medical College.”

This incident highlights the escalating tensions surrounding property disputes and the vulnerability of marginalized communities during enforcement of legal orders.