'Ravan' blinded after Ram's arrow accidentally hits him during Ramlila
What's the story
A 35-year-old Dalit man, Sunil Kumar, lost his eyesight after an arrow shot during a Ramlila performance in Uttar Pradesh's Sonbhadra district hit him in the eye. The incident occurred on November 13, 2025, during the final day of the celebrations. Kumar had filed a complaint against Naitik Pandey, who played Lord Ram, and Ramsanehi Singh, the event organizer.
Victim
Victim is married, with a baby
The victim, who is married and has a three-month-old baby, said he has been playing the role of Ravan for eight years. "In recent years, the actor who used to play the role of Lord Ram stopped participating, and this year the role was assigned to 22-year-old Naitik Pandey." "Last year, the Ramlila was staged for 10 consecutive days, and on the final day, as part of the enactment, Ram had to shoot a wooden arrow at Ravan," he said.
Allegations
Kumar's eye shot out of jealousy, malice
Kumar alleged that Pandey shot the arrow at his eye out of malice and jealousy. He claimed that instead of using a wooden arrow provided by the organizing committee, Pandey brought a pointed hardwood arrow. "When the scene was enacted, Naitik was supposed to shoot only a single arrow, but he shot several arrows from a distance of about five feet. One of those arrows struck my right eye," said the victim.
Aftermath
Kumar's treatment continues
Kumar underwent two surgeries but still can't see from his right eye. "My treatment is continuing at a...hospital in Varanasi, and so far, I have spent a large portion of my savings on medical expenses. Due to the incident, I lost my job and am now completely dependent on my three brothers for financial support," he said. He alleged that despite approaching police immediately after the incident, no action was taken until recently, when his brother pursued it further.
Abuse
Accused threatened to kill him, abused him with casteist remarks
Kumar alleged that when he approached Singh for medical expenses, both Singh and Pandey abused him with casteist remarks and threatened to kill him. "Recently, my brother pursued the matter again with the police, after which the case was finally registered," Kumar said. The case against the accused was filed under relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act provisions. But no arrests have been made yet.