An FIR was registered against six people, including two village heads, for allegedly denying drinking water to a woman Dalit officer in Kaushambi, UP.


A deputy chief veterinary officer was allegedly denied drinking water because of her Dalit identity in Ambawa Poorab village in Manjhanpur block, around 167 km away from the state capital Lucknow, on July 31. An FIR under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.


SP Kaushambi Pradeep Gupta said the matter is being thoroughly probed and strict action will be initiated against those found guilty.


The officer, Dr Seema, said she had gone to the village on the directions of the DPRO to review developmental works. She claimed that she was not given water for two-and-a-half-hours despite her being a diabetic.


"I was told to visit the village only after contacting DPRO Ravi Dutt Mishra and BDC (block development chief) Tiwari, popularly known as Jhallar in the block. They behaved very abnormally with me, and when I asked for water, I was not given water for two-and-a-half-hours by six people sitting there. I am a diabetic. My body started trembling and I had to rush out from there," Seema told PTI.


"I was also told that the bottle would get spoiled (if I drink water from it) and had to be thrown away," Seema said. She alleged that when she sought water from the villagers, village head Sampat and the DPRO gestured not not to give her water.  -- PTI