The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Rajasthan Government and the State police to ensure “well being” of tribal families who approached apex court against their forcible eviction from a village in Kota allegedly by mining mafia.
Belonging to the Julmi village of Kherahad in Kota district, tribal residents were present in Court to narrate their plight and complained that the miners had abducted few of the menfolk and demolished several houses including a temple.
Representing them, advocate Saju Jacob submitted before the Vacation Bench of Justices PC Ghose and Amitava Roy that the demolition had to be immediately stopped as the villagers had nowhere to go. The bench wished to listen the villagers who were present in Court and satisfied itself of the contents stated in the petition. One of the villagers said this was their ancestral land and despite complaints to police and district authorities, no protection was offered to the villagers.
The Court directed the state DGP to send a report on the allegations and made the police chief and Chief Secretary to ensure “well being” of the villagers. The report will be submitted to Court in four weeks. The petition filed in public interest claimed that the tribal villagers belong to Scheduled Caste communities who work as bonded labourers. The state has not issued any notification to acquire the said land and pleas made to the National SC/ST Commission has yielded no results, claimed the petitioners.