Lucknow, Aug 31 - Facing water problems in their own village, a group of Dalits, who had gone to use the well and hand pumps installed in another village Monday alleged that they were assaulted and driven away by members of the upper caste community.

A group of Dalits belonging to Gariyan village in Chitrakoot district, some 280 km from Lucknow, alleged that they were assaulted and driven away Sunday by members of the upper caste community when they went to the adjoining Sagwara village to get water from wells and hand pumps.

'We were beaten with sticks and were directed (by upper caste community members) not to use wells and hand pumps of the Sagwara village,' a Dalit woman Shivpatia told reporters Monday in Chitrakoot.

'We are facing potable water problems since the last three days after the three hand pumps of our village started supplying murky water.