The Bombay High Court asked the Maharashtra government to file a reply to a petition seeking CBI probe into alleged assault on two members of a Dalit family in Nashik.
The incident took place after a Dalit youth was arrested in a nearby village for trying to rape a five-year-old girl belonging to an upper caste community, the petition said.
Petitioner Babybai Shinde alleged that a group of armed youths from an upper caste community attacked her two sons outside their house at village Sanjegaon on October 11.
Following the alleged rape attempt at Talegaon village near Nashik last week, there were incidents of stone-pelting targeting the Dalit community, the petition said.
In some places, Dalits were ostracised, it alleged.
Apart from CBI probe, it demanded medical treatment and compensation for the victims and a direction to the local police to have the social boycott on Dalits lifted.
A bench headed by Justice Naresh Patil gave the government a week to file its reply and adjourned the hearing to October 20.
