The complaint emphasises the urgent need for the commission’s intervention to ensure justice is delivered to the victims. Since December 2024, numerous anti-Dalit incidents have occurred, all of which are detailed in this complaint. These incidents reflect the troubling mind set underlying caste discrimination and highlight the immediate necessity for increased convictions in such cases. Anti-Dalit incidents being reported from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.
In a quiet village of Telangana, the dawn of the New Year brought no celebration for Ramu. On December 31, as the world rejoiced, his life took a horrifying turn. Standing innocently outside his house, Ramu was accosted by two police officers. His only crime? Being in his own space, which seemed unacceptable to those wearing the uniform of the law. What began as a verbal altercation ended in a nightmarish assault? The bruises on his arms and legs told a story of pain and humiliation, but Ramu’s voice refused to be silenced. His courage to recount his ordeal sparked a fire of accountability.
A few hundred kilometres away in Uttar Pradesh, Rahul bore the brunt of a different kind of atrocity. Accused of coercing villagers into religious conversion, he was paraded through the streets, garlanded with shoes, and beaten. His cries for justice echoed through the land as FIRs were lodged against him and his tormentors alike. In the same state, Shivbadan, another Dalit, faced similar brutality for his faith. Accused of attempting conversions, he was assaulted by a mob who claimed to teach him a lesson. His dignity lay shattered, but his spirit remained unbroken as he sought justice through the legal system.
In Basti, Uttar Pradesh, the story turned tragic. A 17-year-old Dalit boy attended a birthday celebration, hoping for joy, but returned home scarred and humiliated. Stripped, beaten, and urinated upon by his peers, his dignity was stolen in the cruellest way possible. Unable to bear the shame, he ended his life, leaving his family grappling with grief and rage. Their fight for justice led them to stage a sit-in protest, forcing the authorities to act.
Farther south, in Tamil Nadu, a young Dalit boy found himself at the mercy of a man enraged over a trivial act—scribbling on a dusty car. Dragged into a house, he was beaten mercilessly, his cries drawing his mother to his rescue. But when she confronted the perpetrator, she too became a victim. The incident underscored the ingrained prejudice that sees even the smallest mistakes by Dalits as punishable offenses.
In Andhra Pradesh, the prestigious grounds of Sri Venkateswara University became the backdrop for an appalling assault. Dr. Changaiah, a respected Dalit professor, found himself at the receiving end of the wrath of those who resented his advocacy for social justice. The attack was a chilling reminder that even educational spaces are not immune to caste-based hatred.
Meanwhile, in Madhya Pradesh, a Dalit man named Mukesh Longre entered a police station, only to leave in a body bag. The police claimed it was suicide, but his family alleged foul play, accusing officers of demanding bribes and resorting to violence. His death was not just a tragedy but a damning indictment of a system meant to protect but often persecutes.
In Karnataka, a song celebrating Dr. B.R. Ambedkar became the reason for violence. Deepu, a young Dalit, played the song in a milk van, unaware that it would provoke the ire of caste Hindus. What followed was a brutal assault, leaving him with severe injuries. The incident laid bare the deep-seated intolerance that continues to plague the nation.
Through these incidents runs a thread of systemic failure – a justice system that falters, a society that turns a blind eye, and a nation that still struggles with the shadows of caste-based discrimination.
The complaint may be read here:
Related:
How Indian society uses slur and stigma to perpetuate indignity and exclusion: Dalits
CJP sends complaint in 8 cases of hate crime to the National Commission for Minorities