With Opposition parties cornering the state government over increasing cases of Dalit atrocities, now National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) as well as the State Commission for SC, have taken cognizance of harassment of Dalits. While the NHRC issued notices to Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, calling for a detailed report in matter of atrocities against two teenage boys in Baghpat, the State Commission for SC ordered initiation of legal proceeding in the case of a Dalit being tortured in Badaun.
As per a communique issued on Tuesday, the Commission asked UP officials to inform about steps taken for the relief and rehabilitation of affected families in Baghpat and to maintain law and order in the area. They have been given four weeks to respond. Taking suo motu cognizance of a media report that a 19 year old boy, belonging to a Dalit community and his 16 year old nephew were allegedly assaulted by some upper caste people at the behest of the Kamala village pradhan in Baghpat on April 27, the NHRC initiated action. After the incident, most Dalit families in the village have fled their homes. The elder of the two boys was beaten so brutally that he died of multiple organ failure triggered by renal trauma and septicaemia during treatment on May 7.
The Commission observed that contents of the news report, if true, raised serious issue of violation of human rights of the victim as well as the other Dalit families of the area. The incident indicated lawlessness in the region and plight of the people belonging to Dalit community suffering due to highhandedness by people from upper caste.
Media reports said that youths were attacked over an affair between a Dalit man and a Gujjar woman of the village. The IG of Meerut Range said that all seven accused involved were arrested and police force was near the victim’s house to avert further flare-ups.
Meanwhile on the directives of State Commission for SC, an FIR was registered against a senior police officer in connection with the alleged assault on a Dalit man, who was forced to drink urine by some upper caste people. An FIR has been registered against Rajesh Kashyap, the then in-charge of Dataganj police station on Tuesday. Kashyap was earlier suspended. The matter was being probed by Circle Officer, Dataganj.
As per compalinant Sitaram Valmiki (43), the incident took place on April 24 when he was working in his field in Azampur Bisaulia village. later, Vijay Singh, Pinku Singh, Vikram Singh and Sompal alias Kallu - all upper caste men- asked him to harvest their crops. On his refusal they beat him up, pulled out his moustache and forced him to drink urine. The miscreants also tied him to a tree. The FIR of the incident was registered on April 29. Newly appointed Chairman of State Commission for SC, Brij lal said that it was a serious offence. ``Dalits need protection. If upper caste men behave like this, it is a bad omen for the society,” said lal, who was DGP before joining the BJP. “In villages, Dalits form the bulwark of labour force. They work as labourers in fields of upper castes and do all menial jobs for them. During harvest season, they are much in demand and if they refuse, they are beaten up,” lal said.