NCDHR demands white paper on attacks on dalits in Haryana

New Delhi, Sep 10 (UNI) Members of some Dalit families who were attacked and their houses burnt by a group of upper caste people in Jind district of Haryana last week, are still terrified, yet to be given proper police protection and some of the culprits are still roaming scotfree, says a fact-finding report released by the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR).

The rights group also demanded a white paper on the atrocities on Dalits in Haryana.

The report prepared by a 12-member NCDHR team which visited Killa Jafargarh a small village near Jind, said a mob of 150-200 people attacked the Dalit colony injuring seriously 14 people including two women and ransacked and put ablaze as many as 76 houses.

A dominant fear of more such attacks has led to the exodus by numerous people of the 200-strong dalit population in the village, where Jats are the dominant community, the report, circulated to the press yesterday, said.

According to the report, some members from the Jat community had an altercation with some Dalits during a 'Jagran' on the intervening night of August 31 and September 1. Dalits reported the matter to the police.

Incensed over the incident, a group of Jats attacked the Dalit houses, armed with spears, sticks and other sharp-edged weapons, the next day. Fourteen Dalits, including women were injured in the attack, they also ransacked 76 houses and put some of them on fire.

The NCDHR team that included Delhi University college teachers- Mr Rajkumar, Ms Hemlata, Journalists and lawyers contested the police claim that all the 32 culprits had been arrested. According to them a greater number of people had attacked the Dalit basti.

The police protection provided to the victims was inadequate to prevent the exodus of dalits from the village and the team accused the administration of laxity in preventing the tragedy and later adopting of lackadisical approach in instilling confidence among the victims.

The team demanded arrest of all the culprits under SC/ST(Prevention of Atrocities)Act 1989 and compensation to the victims as well as liberal assistance to the injured under treatment in various hospitals.

NI/JSS YA KN1847