A Dalit boy was allegedly beaten in Vijayawada on Tuesday for entering a temple after a love affair with a girl belonging to a Backward Class (BC) community assumed a caste colour.

According to a report in the Times of India, Pathakoti Ravi Teja (24) was in a relationship with his former colleague and they had decided to marry and sought approval from the parents of the girl. However, the girl’s parents turned the proposal down.

Ravi Teja claims that he was warned to maintain distance from the girl.

The report adds:

Surprisingly , the girl is said to have lodged a complaint with the Machavaram police on June 16 stating that Ravi Teja was harassing her by sending inappropriate messages and making phone calls besides stalking her at the workplace. Following this, the police called Ravi Teja to the police station and counselled him to keep off the woman.

Following this incident, Ravi Teja alleged that he was beaten by the girl’s family for entering a temple that he visited every Friday.

"They abused me in the name of my caste. The girl's brother abused me in the name of my caste. He asked me why I visited a Hindu temple being a Dalit belonging to the Mala community. All the four thrashed me for befriending her,” he told TOI.