Hundreds marched the streets of Bhayander, Mumbai on the call of the Safai Shramik Union on May 15, 2022 to demand justice for the murder of sanitation workers Krishna Tusanad.
On May 7, the 30-year-old Tusanad was allegedly beaten to death by his boss and Nagmani Jewellers imitation jewellery factory owner Chandicharan Sanatan Bind. Reports said that while the victim died in the hospital, his hands and legs were tied and he suffered brutal trauma to his face and torso by an iron rod.
Initially the police arrested only three people. However, officials discovered that the factory’s CCTV footage was formatted prompting further arrests. As of May 16, as many as 11 people have been arrested.
To condemn the caste-based crime, protesters took out a rally from Bandarwadi Naka in Bhayandar East to RNP Park on Sunday. Members further held a public meeting to demand a fair investigation under relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act, demand a fast-track trial as well as immediate financial aid to the victim’s family.
According to Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) Mumbai committee member Advocate Kishor Samant, the protest was also a political message asserting that the workers community is united.
“Sanitation workers are marginalised. It is important to make people aware about their situation and warn the general public from taking the law in their own hands,” he told SabrangIndia.
Tusanad was the sole earning member of the family. He is survived by his parents, a wife and four children. The family belongs to the Valmiki community in Haryana.
While not many media channels covered this protest, people on social media appreciated the call for justice.
आज @mahacpimspeak @cpimspeak की ओर से भायंदर में कृष्णा को इंसाफ दिलाने के लिए प्रदर्शन किया गया.. अच्छा लगा कि कोई तो गरीब के साथ खड़ा है.. नहीं तो आजकल ‘मेरा हिंदुत्व तेरे हिंदुत्व से अच्छा है’, यही चल रहा है… https://t.co/RQWboN9F6D pic.twitter.com/xhPZwDYzz2
— sohit mishra (@sohitmishra99) May 15, 2022
Earlier, human rights group Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) on Friday also filed a complaint with the Mira-Bhayander Commissioner of Police for protecting the rights of the Scheduled Caste family. Around May 13, the police filed the case under relevant sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Act.
CJP has also urged the police to ensure that the deceased victim’s family receives the necessary relief and also requested them to make the progress of the case public. The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), CITU and Safai Shramik Union Working President sent a letter voicing these demands to the Chief Minister.
Related:
Mumbai: Dalit youth tied and beaten to death with an iron rod!
UP: Village head threatens Scheduled Caste community with ₹5,000 fine and 50 kicks!
Hate Watch: Dalit man thrashed, dragged like an animal by so called “upper caste” goons
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