5 senior officials issued notices on action against Dalit activist

Nagpur, Nov 17 (UNI) The Bombay High Court has issued notices to the Principal Secretary (Home), Maharashtra Government and four senior police officials over the action being taken against the activists who took part in the recent protests against the killing of four members of a Dalit family by villagers in Khairlanji in Bhandara district.

A Division Bench comprising of Justices K S Rohee and C L Pangarkar at Nagpur bench of the High Court issued notices on a petition by Shailendra Narnaware, a lawyer.

Besides the Principal Secretary (Home), notices have been issued to the Commissioners of Police of Nagpur and Amravati, the Special Inspector General of Police of Nagpur Range and the Superintendent of Police of Bhandara district. The notices are returnable in four weeks.

The petition alleged that the police had commited atrocities against dalit activists who took part in protests in Nagpur and Amravati against the Khairlanji incident. The petition also alleged that the firing by the police in Amravati during the protests was illegal because it was carried out without orders.

The petition prayed for directives for quashing of the First Information Reports (FIRs) against innocent persons, action against the policemen who beat up the activists, compensation to the persons who were beaten up, and a judicial enquiry into the harsh action initiated by the police against the activists.

The petition named 32 respondents including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil, however, the court issued notices to only 5 of them.

Surekha Bhotmage (45), daughter Priyanka (18), and sons Roshan (23) and Suresh (21) were killed by a mob in Khairlanji on September 30 over a land dispute. There have been violent protests at several places in Vidarbha, including Nagpur and Amravati, over the past few days against the killing.

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