Public prosecutor in the Una Dalit atrocity case quits

Citing reasons of security and remuneration, special public prosecutor Dipendra Yadav has written to the legal department to be relieved from the Dalit atrocity case.

protests against the atrocity (Image: Indian express)

Three years ago, on July 11^th 2016, 6 Dalit members of a family and their neighbour were thrashed in Una, Gir somnath district, Gujrat by gau rakshaks for skinning a dead cow that was killed by a lioness.

The Dalit men were paraded semi naked, trashed and then dragged behind the SUV of the accused to the police station where they again beat up the men and fled later when the police arrived.

The video of the men being trashed with sticks, pipes and even knives went viral causing protest all over the state.

The police arrested 43 persons including 4 police men. But on the same day all the 4 police men were granted bail. And one of the main conspirators got bail within 6 months of the incident. However one policeman died in 2017 and 21 accused persons have been granted bail over the months.

And the trial began 2 years after the incident in 2018. Dipendra Yadav, who was appointed as the special public prosecutor in this case, had written to the concerned authorities asking for an office space, security and transport facilities but his demands were not met. He had threatened to quit within 3 months of being appointed for lack of security.

There was opposition from both the defense and prosecution on the plea from the victims’ lawyer Govind Paramar for the case to be expedited and be taken up on day-to-day basis.

But the special court of fifth Additional District in Veraval which handles the cases pertaining to the Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act allowed the petition and ordered for conducting the case on daily basis for 90 days. And the case was to begin from July 29^th.

The decision of the prosecutor to quit has come as a blow to the victims as this step may put the trial on hold once again. They hope that the judiciary and the department of law will take some positive step to ensure the trial proceeds as they have waited from three years.

Yadav was fed up of waiting for the Government to provide him security, remuneration, transport and office space. His application will be heard on 26^th July after which the court will decide to accept or not his decision to quit from the case.

Courtesy: Two Circle