Thevars [caste Hindus] treat Sikkaliars [Dalits] as slaves so they can utilise them as they wish. They exploit them sexually and make them dig graveyards for high-caste people’s burials. They have to take the death message to Thevars. These are all unpaid services.
— Manibharati, social activist, Madurai district, Tamil Nadu

In the past, twenty to thirty years ago, [Dalits] enjoyed the practice of “untouchability.” In the past, women enjoyed being oppressed by men. They weren’t educated. They didn’t know the world… They enjoy Thevar community men having them as concubines… They cannot afford to react; they are dependent on us for jobs and protection… She wants it from him. He permits it. If he has power, then she has more affection for the landlord.
— A prominent Thevar political leader, Tamil Nadu^[1]

“Dalit” is a term first coined by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, one of the architects of the Indian constitution of 1950 and revered leader of the Dalit movement. It was taken up in the 1970s by the Dalit Panther Movement, which organized to claim rights for “untouchables,” and is now commonly used by rights activists.^[2] Violence against this section of the Indian people, Dalits, who constitute (2011 Census figures) 16.6 per cent of the population is both societal, systemic and instructional cutting through all intersectionality’s. This analysis and graphic visualisation looks at this phenomenon, not contain, today normalised, in 2025.

On June 24, 2025 — The Indian Express reported, “Nine people have been detained after a mob forcibly shaved the heads of two Dalit men and forced them to crawl over allegations of cow smuggling in Odisha’s Ganjam district. According to the police, the victims had bought a cow and two calves and were returning home when a mob accosted them in Kharigumma village under Dharakote police limits and demanded Rs 30,000. When the men expressed inability to pay, the mob allegedly beat them up, forcibly shaved their heads, made them crawl and had them drink sewage water. A video purportedly shows the two men crawling with grass clamped between their teeth as some men follow them. The group also took away cash of Rs 700 from them and their mobile phones, police said.” This is not, unsurprisingly, a stray or isolated event – with CJP recording 113 incidents of anti-Dalit atrocities from the month of January to June.

The all-pervasive caste system has long cemented itself as a fortifying structure of Indian society. With a state machinery that openly runs on a proto-fascist, pro-Hindutva model – the continued marginalisation of Indian minorities has become, in dystopian fashion, extremely normalized in the day-to-day news cycle. This report tries to trace this normalisation by forming understandings of the historical, typological and the systemic nature of the violence enacted upon Dalit and Adivasi/tribal individuals in India by considering data consolidated within the months of January-June.

Historical & Structural Context – Everydayness of Caste Atrocities

One must always remember that caste atrocities in India is not a regime-specific conundrum, and that while there is a strong relationship between the (present, ideologically driven) Hindutva state and the exacerbation of such atrocities — India has had a long, shameful history where the caste system has been entrenched into every facet of living. Ania Loomba, in The Everyday Violence of Caste, writes: “Caste violence in India is one of the most long-standing instances of the routinisation of violence, predating European colonialism although not unshaped by it, and now firmly enmeshed within the new global order. Despite untouchability being constitutionally abolished in 1950, caste oppression is pervasive today. Over 160 million Untouchables- or Dalits- are subject to different forms of discrimination: they are denied access to places of worship, clean water, housing, and land; their children are still kept out of, or ill-treated within, schools; they are forced into menial and degrading occupations, notably manual scavenging; and, despite a governmental policy of affirmative action, they remain largely excluded from the country’s businesses, educational establishments, judicial services, and bureaucracy.1 If violence against lower castes and outcastes is rendered banal by being woven into the fabric of everyday life, it is also conducted via spectacular acts. Dalits are raped and murdered for daring to aspire to land, electricity, drinking water, and to non-Dalit partners. Inter-caste marriages, especially those between lower caste men and women of higher castes, result in murders, kidnapping, and the public punishment of such men and (often) the women involved. Dalit women remain subject to constant sexual assault by upper caste men. In general, caste segregation shapes India’s rural landscape, as well as large parts of its urbanity.”

In Indian society, the entrenched hierarchy of caste is all-pervasive, affecting the lives of Dalit, Bahujan, and Adivasi individuals – through popular and institutional violence at different scales. This routinization, that Loomba writes about, is a process that has spanned centuries: almost from the birth of Hinduism, as a religion — and therefore, the committing of atrocities has been naturalized into social order. We could invoke Martin Macwan, who rightly wrote, in 2001, “The systematic elimination of six million Jews by Nazis hit us hard on the face because it took place in such a short span of time. In the case of Dalits, though the “genocide” has been systemic, it has taken place at a slow pace. The current government statistics of murder, rape, and assault that Dalits are subjected to paint a horrible picture if extended to a history of 3000 years. We have reason to believe that approximately 2,190,000 Dalits have been murdered, 3,285,000 raped and over 75,000,000 assaulted.”

Methodology and Data Sources

In this report, we use data from CJP’s own database, and from multiple reliable think-tanks, non-governmental organizations, news outlets, legal filings and academic publications. We also take into account cross-verified posts from social media accounts that specialise in hate-watching, reporting on Dalit and Adivasi issues, etc. The data from the National Crime Records Bureau’s own publications has also been used for contextualization.

We have attempted to classify this data on the basis of geography, types of violence, and looked into institutional response: from law enforcement and respective state governments’ attitudes to caste-based violence. The report endeavours to be grounded in intersectionality, taking into account the changing metrics of class and gender, which quite obviously come into play while discussing caste.

Typology of Violence: Key Patterns from 2025

• Violence Against Adivasis and Tribal Populations

Tribal and Adivasi lives have also been rife with violence within the country – being victimised by large scale unrest, institutional crackdowns, and targeted attacks in different parts of the country. While encounters have intensified in the BJP ruled state of Chhattisgarh, and CRPF camps being set-up in the “most vulnerable Maoist locations”, the CPI (Maoist) party has proposed peace talks with the government. This was followed by 200 civil rights groups and individuals urging for the government to show their intent at reaching a ceasefire and some form of agreement. The statement from the signatories of these organizations is as follows,

“It is now exactly 20 years since the state sponsored and now banned Salwa Judum began in Bastar, causing enormous misery in terms of people killed, villages burnt, rapes, starvation, mass displacement and other forms of violence. Since then, the villagers of Bastar have known little peace. They barely returned to their villages when they were faced with Operation Green Hunt and successive operations. Since 2024, under the name of Operation Kagaar, over 400 people have been killed (287 in 2024, 113 in 2025).i While the exact numbers of civilians killed is unknown, given that several of those claimed as Maoists have been identified by villagers as civilians, it is evident that civilians are being disproportionately affected ii. An Article 14 estimate between 2018 and 2022 counts more civilians (335) killed than security personnel (168) and Maoists (327). iii 2024 saw several incidents of children being killed. SATP gives the breakup for 2025 to 15 civilians, 14 security forces and 150 Maoists. The forces have got Rs. 8.24 crore as rewards for these killings.”

Parallely, the centre’s failure at dealing with ethnic clashes in Manipur has drawn widespread criticism from the states – according to Human Rights Watch – at least five people have died and scores injured, including security force members, in recent clashes, alone. On March 8, a man was killed and several were injured in Kangpokpi district when violence broke out after the authorities attempted to restore transportation connections across the state. On March 19, another man was killed following clashes between two tribal communities in the state’s Churachandpur district. The violence, so far, has killed more than 260 people and displaced over 60,000 since May 2023.

Land conflicts have also followed tribal populaces – according to Land Conflict Watch, there are 962 reported ongoing land conflicts in their Conflicts Database. Out of these 116 conflicts are in the Conservatory and Forestry sector, with 459,735 people currently affected. The following charts shows the shares of the kind and numbers of conflict going on in the country, in context of land area and people affected — based on data available from the Conflicts Database of the Land Conflict Watch website.

As mentioned before, while state actors do perpetrate a huge share of the violence borne by the tribal populations in India – this does not mean that they are spared from acts of targeted violence by upper-caste perpetrators.

CJP recorded 74 incidents of anti-Christian violence in India in 2025— out of which, 48 were cases of harassment, assault and violence under the pretext of allegations of conversion. While not all of these were mandated on Adivasi individuals, a bone of contention that the propagators of the formulation of the Hindutva state has with the so called “Christianisation of tribals/Adivasis” has been rooted in ideas of “foreignness”. It is also manifest in the Adivasi v/s Vanvasi formulation, with the RSS and it’s multiple outfits like the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram committed to an alteration/manipulation of the pre-Hindu, Adivasi identity, threatened as they are by the ‘original inhabitant’ argument, before the onset and domination of the “Vedic period” in early Indian history.

A recent book, among several earlier studies on the subject, Kamal Nayan Choubey’s Adivasi or Vanvasi-the politics of Hindutva, observes, “Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, popularly known as Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram or VKA is the tribal wing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). As the largest tribal organization in the country, it works in many areas of Kerala, Jharkhand and the North-east of India. Till the late 1970s, VKA’s work was limited to a few districts of Chhattisgarh (then Madhya Pradesh), Jharkhand (then Bihar), and Odisha but it has gradually and continuously expanded its footprint in different parts of the country…. It is noteworthy that from its inception VKA focused on spreading Hindu values by organizing religious rituals in tribal areas and working in the area of education and hostels.” Academic works and publications on the methods of RSS’ penetration among tribals stress on the Ekal School, an education model that not just imposes “caste Hindu practices” among Adivasis who’s traditional belief systems are animistic, but also instils an element of the “outsider other” when it comes to the Indian religious minority, the Christian or the Muslim.[3] Studies of the syllabus taught in these schools also reveals how the “project was intended to spread disharmony”. Subsequent incidents of targeted violence in several Adivasi-dominated areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh has empirically shown Adivasis adopting an assumed adversarial role against India’s religious minorities.[4][5]

The Washington Post reported in February 2025 about multiple grassroots evangelical pursuits of the grassroots organizations of the far Hindu right, under the pretext of developmental work – has been trying to induct millions of tribal people who have been outside mainstream religion, or are Christians. All of this is conducive to the central ahistorical one-dimensional belief that the converted Adivasi has been stolen away from the “homogenised Hindu original-state” — ignoring all dimensions of oppression, dynamics of caste and struggle, and presenting a dichotomy of the “homegrown” Hinduism and the “foreign” Christianity – ignoring the neo-colonial model that has been replicated by Hindutva outfits. Satianathan Clarke writes for the Harvard Theological Review, “First, Christians, through their sustained service among the Adivasis, “enjoy considerable appreciation of and support for their work from the local population.”37 This presents an obstacle for the Hindutva organizations to infiltrate the Adivasi areas. “The advance of the Parivar [Network of Hindutva organizations] in the tribal area is, therefore, possible only if the Christians are discredited and displaced.” Second, Christians are targeted because of the secular position they have increasingly taken over the last decade. In the context of Hindu communalism’s fascist potential, Christians present a counter model in their “reaching out to secular, liberal and Left formations for joint initiative.” Christianity, especially among Dalits and Adivasis, must be stopped at any cost from being presented as an alternative option to Hindutva. Panikkar’s discussion, I believe, is in line with my claim that Christians are being persecuted because their work among the Dalits and Adivasis is perceived as an effort to thwart the homogenizing aim of Hindutva.”

Besides these, there have been incidents of harassment, and torture, where tribal women have been gang raped, Adivasi people repeatedly subjected to humiliation and assault at the hands of upper caste individuals and community members.

Anti-Dalit Violence

Between the months of January and June, CJP recorded 113 incidents of caste atrocities on Dalit individuals across different states in India. A general categorisation of this violence can be seen as follows.

This chart tells us that out of the 113 cases, assaults had the highest rate of incidence – with a combined percentage of 25.9% [Assault and Assault with the intent of humiliation, combined], followed by high rates of harassment in the form of discrimination – and finally, more grievously, murder and sexual violence – at 20.5% and 18.8% respectively. What is essential for us to remember, is the fact that caste atrocities cannot be neatly separated in clinically placed boxes of violence. Each category is deeply inter-related with the others, and Dalit people, as individuals and as collectives, go through multiple enactments of violence.

Snigdha Adil writes, “The confluence of the material (the body) and the symbolic (language) suggests that the recurrent embodied experiences of exclusions manifest on the caste body and are consequently, articulated; these orations, then, reproduce marginalisation in the lived reality. Such rhetoric is internalised by the Dalit individual, and imposes a state of humiliation and self-loathing upon them. Chakrabarty asserts that the Dalit person’s sense of their body is refracted through a third-person consciousness; it is impossible for the Dalit individual to imagine a reprieve from the corporal schema of degradation that is imposed upon it by the ‘upper’-castes. The process of discrimination as it is enacted against the body and, thereby, shapes (or contorts) it entails the construction of the Dalit (non-)self. To comprehensively understand the agents and methodologies of discrimination within the context of modernity – which is characterised by social mobility through urbanisation, education, and employment opportunities beyond the caste-specific occupational fields – as opposed to the feudal past, one must adopt an archaeological approach towards an understanding of the practice of Untouchability. The camouflage of caste discrimination into innocuous practices to detect and distance the ‘lower’-caste individual despite the external performance of progressive beliefs unveils the “inalterability of the ‘Indian mind’” (Archaeology of Untouchability 219). As one is compelled to operate in ambiguous spaces of social exchange wherein the identity of those one engages with is unknown, exacerbated by the need to concomitantly maintain a façade of transcendence from outdated religious codes as well as the superiority of the self; one must evolve new codes and signifiers that accommodate plausible deniability. … In the same vein, it may be argued that the social, material, and personal deprivation of Dalits is not inherent but maintained through the performance of caste practices and symbols.”

Therefore, we can also make two conclusions from what Adil writes, and a historical study of Brahminical violence on Dalit communities: one, that the nature of attacks is aimed to be a debilitating force on the dignities and the abilities— because the intent behind these attacks is to impinge upon the Dalit sense of self and identity – both individual and communal. Two, the style and the formations of attacks have modified themselves over time while maintaining the same antediluvian spirit of oppression – manifesting through different forms of ostracisation, causation of humiliation, and outright physical and psychological violence.

Structural and systemic violence, cultural and symbolic assertion, physical and sexual violence, caste slurs and verbal abuse, exclusion and boycott are all different forms of atrocities affecting Dalit individuals in India. If we were to look at the data for just the month of June, we would see that all of them can be put into the aforementioned “categories”, or exist at the intersections between two or many of them.

1st June, 2025: A Dalit family was attacked by a group of men with sticks and rods during a wedding ceremony on Friday night, police said. The attackers reportedly shouted caste-based insults, angry that a Dalit family was using a marriage hall in Rasra, Uttar Pradesh. Raghvendra Gautam, the brother of one of the injured men, filed the police complaint. He said, “We were celebrating happily when suddenly a group of men stormed in and shouted, ‘How can Dalits hold a wedding in a hall?’ Then they started beating everyone.” The attack happened at the Swayamvar Marriage Hall around 10:30 p.m. Two people, Ajay Kumar and Manan Kant, were badly hurt and are now in the hospital.

June 1, 2025: A minor Dalit girl who was raped and found with nearly 20 knife wounds in Muzaffarpur died at the Patna Medical College and Hospital on Sunday, June 1, 2025. The 11-year-old was transferred to Patna on Saturday for better medical treatment, but was allegedly left in pain inside the ambulance outside the Patna hospital for about five hours, and was admitted after intervention by Bihar Congress president.

 June 4, 2025: A Tribal woman was gang-raped and then her intestines were pulled out by inserting hands in her rectum, incident happened in Khandwa city of Madhya Pradesh.

June 10, 2025: Dhanush, a Dalit youth employed in an IT firm in Coimbatore, was reportedly in a relationship with a woman from a different religion. He was found hanging at his lover’s residence.

June 18, 2025: Due to not being able to repay a loan of 80 thousand, a Dalit woman was tied to a tree, humiliated and beaten in front of her own child, the child will not be able to forget this shock for the rest of his life, the incident is from Kuppam in Andhra Pradesh. The woman’s husband has left her, she has the responsibility of two children, she earns her living by working as a daily wage labourer.

June 20, 2025: On Sunday, A Dalit teenager who dared to ask for ration was shot dead in broad daylight in Bilhari village in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. His brother, Ashish, who had accompanied him, was also injured. 

June 22, 2025: The incident occurred in Dadrapur village, within the limits of Bakewar Police Station, where a group of Brahmin men attacked a Katha Vachak (religious preacher) and his aides for organising Baagavat Katha in the village after discovering that he belongs to a lower caste.”

June 22, 2025: A 13-year-old patient from Meerut admitted to the orthopaedics ward at a top hospital in the city, was allegedly sexually assaulted by a 20-year-old man inside the women’s washroom around 1 am on Sunday. The girl, a Dalit, was being treated for knock knees, and was accompanied by her mother at the facility’s general ward.

June 22, 2025: At a hospital in an Andhra Pradesh district, a 15-year-old girl, almost eight months pregnant, spends her days in a 150-bed ward, surrounded by expectant mothers and wailing infants. Authorities have deemed it dangerous to terminate her pregnancy at this stage, and say sending her home is not an option either – the teenager is the victim of sexual abuse over two years by 14 men, who are from an influential community in the village where the crimes took place.

June 22, 2025: “A shocking incident of caste-based violence has emerged from Etawah district in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, where members belonging to the Bahujan community were severely assaulted by upper caste men, who brutalised them and forcefully tonsured their hair, urinated on them, for taking part in a religious event.

June 23, 2025: Two Dalit men were allegedly subjected to brutal physical and psychological abuse in Kharigumma village under Dharakote block in Ganjam district.

June 24, 2025: “Dalit assistant professor Dr Ravi has allegedly faced caste discrimination after the principal at SV Veterinary University’s Dairy Technology College in Andhra Pradesh removed the chair from his office, forcing him to work while sitting on the floor. He alleged that he was on leave on Thursday, and when he returned to the college on Friday and went to his room, he found that there was no chair. Associate Dean Ravindra Reddy, who had come to test the milk in the existing device, had removed the chair from his room.”

June 26, 2025: Nearly All Students Withdrawn from Karnataka School After Dalit Woman Appointed Head Cook. “In a shocking incident from Karnataka’s Uttara Kannada district, a 60-year-old differently abled Dalit woman was allegedly raped and robbed by a known history sheeter. The accused, identified as 23-year-old Fairoz Yasin Yaragatti, was later shot in the leg by police during an encounter”

June 27, 2025: On Friday, members of the family were sowing seeds in their land in Narayanapura village of Madhya Pradesh’s Lateri tehsil when some people, allegedly from the Gurjar community, attacked them. The men not only beat up members of the family, including two women, but also snatched their soybean seeds and sowed them in their own field.

Jyoti D. Bhosale, in The Intensification of the Caste Divide: Increasing Violence on the Dalits in Neoliberal India, [emphasis ours] writes, “The increased physical infliction of violence on the Dalits, apart from simply being the perception of threat, is a reactionary response to prevailing psyche steeped in prejudice and caste arrogance and are expressions of retention of privileged positions within the caste order, in spite of long drawn resistance and constitutional efforts against the same. In their study of Bhumihars (landowning caste) and caste violence in Bihar, Nandan and Santosh (2019) argue that in the context of the crumbling down of traditional mode of dominance through upper-caste identity and feudal agrarian structure, and also with the increased representation of OBCs and other lower castes, the goalpost of the Bhumihars has shifted. It has now become that of establishing themselves not as perpetrators of violence but as guardians of Hindutva which also protects their caste identity. They thus resort to ‘symbolic’ violence towards the lower castes, while on the ‘enemies’ of Hindu right-wing ideology, overt violence is inflicted. Can the quantitative reduction of incidents of bodily violence itself account for decreased brutality against the Dalits? Numerous incidents of violence such as Tsundur massacre (1991); Bara massacre (1992); Bathani Tola massacre (1996); Melavalavu violence (1997); Laxmanpur Bathe massacre (1997); Ramabai Killings(1997); Bhungar Khera incident (1999); Kambalapalli violence (2000); Khairlanji massacre (2006); gangrape of Sumanbalai (2009); Mirchpur killings (2010); Dharmapuri violence (2012); Marakkanam violence (2013); Dangawas violence (2015); Ariyalur gangrape (2016); Kanchanatham temple violence (2018); Hathras gangrape and murder (2020) are amongst the very many clear cases of explicit brutality. These challenge the underlying liberal presumption prevalent across social sciences that with progression in time, democratization etc, societies become more civil. There is evidence to say that with such progression, cruelty may not just continue but also sharpen (Rushe and Kirchheimer 2003).

Thus, it will not be erroneous to state that these enactments of violence are located at the juncture of asserting caste-pride, and the violent need to humiliate and assert dominance through forms that adapt and reinvent themselves with the passage of time.

Sexual Violence

Amidst the different forms of violence enacted upon Dalit and Adivasi people, sexual violence happens to be one of the foremost ones.

Sourik Biswas writes for the BBC, “These [Dalit] women, who comprise about 16% of India’s female population, face a “triple burden” of gender bias, caste discrimination and economic deprivation. “The Dalit female belongs to the most oppressed group in the world,” says Dr Suraj Yengde, author of Caste Matters. “She is a victim of the cultures, structures and institutions of oppression, both externally and internally. This manifests in perpetual violence against Dalit women.” Out of the 113 incidents recorded by CJP, 29 were acts of sexual violence. Approximately 10 rape cases are reported every day when it comes to Dalit women.

Manisha Mashaal, the founder of Swabhiman Society, told Equality Now that one of the biggest challenges in cases of sexual violence is that survivors or the families are pressured into compromises with the accused. Community and social pressure plays a major role in impeding access to justice in such cases. Another issue is the lack of quality and effective systems in place to provide the survivors of violence and their families with immediate social, legal, and mental health support along with proper and timely rehabilitation. This pattern of violence also translates to Adivasi women – even intensifying, with the stereotyping of these women as “promiscuous” and an allotted sexual availability – which ultimately reduces them to fetishized commodities. While Behanbox, upon perusal of a report ‘Beyond Rape: Examining The Systemic Oppression Leading To Sexual Violence Against Adivasi Women’ – found that while the two-finger test that checks the hymen and its rupturing has been outlawed by the Supreme Court, in almost 15 of the 32 cases studied had the victims go through them.

It found that according to the National Crime Bureau Report (2022), a total of 10,064 cases were registered for crimes against Scheduled Tribes (STs), an increase of 14.3 per cent over 2021 (8,802 cases). The crime rate increased from 8.4 per cent in 2021 to 9.6 per cent in 2022. The report reveals that 1,347 cases of rape and 1022 cases of assault on Adivasi/Tribal women were reported in 2022.

Mapping Caste Atrocities and Socio-Political Dynamics

The 113 cases that CJP documented were spread out all over the country– which you can see in this map– although some states emerged as hotspots.

As displayed above, the worst offending states were Uttar Pradesh (34 cases), Madhya Pradesh (15), and Tamil Nadu (8). This calculation tracks with NCRB data that the Deccan Herald reported, “About 97.7 per cent of all cases of atrocities against SCs in 2022 were reported from 13 states, with Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh recording the highest number of such crimes, according to a new government report … Of 51,656 cases registered under the law for Scheduled Castes (SCs) in 2022, Uttar Pradesh accounted for 23.78 per cent of the total cases with 12,287, followed by Rajasthan at 8,651 (16.75 per cent) and Madhya Pradesh at 7,732 (14.97 per cent).”

This intensity of caste-based violence in states is deeply reflective of the social structures present within these states and their respective hierarchies.

In Uttar Pradesh, the last caste census was conducted in 1931. According to the data from this census, it was found that only 9.2% of the population was composed of Brahmins, while 7.2% was made up of Rajputs (Thakurs). Sudhir Hindwan’s CASTE AND CLASS VIOLENCE IN THE INDIAN STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH – the intermediary (backward) castes made up about 42 per cent of the population, the scheduled castes 21 per cent and Muslims 15 per cent. While no caste census details are available after that, estimations based on the data from the 2011 census leads us to believe that the 20% of the “forward caste” demographic are composed by the 12% of the populace who are Brahmins, and the remaining 8 the Rajputs.

A report from the policy research lab of Jindal Global University found that out of the 80 constituencies in the state, 23 of the dominant general caste constituencies have representatives from the respective castes, thus indicating a 100% rate of correlation when it comes to caste identity and election of representation. The report states, “Whereas there were 15 constituencies who have OBC as their dominant caste and their MP too comes from the OBC. On the other hand, there are 3 constituencies where Muslims are dominant, and the winning candidate too comes from the same … Out of the 19 winning candidates who won the 2024 parliamentary elections and come from the scheduled caste background, 17 came from those seats which were reserved for the scheduled caste in the elections, thus out of 80 there were only 2 seats where the winning candidate was from the scheduled caste and the seat was not reserved. This highlights the social disparity that persists within the political and social realm of UP.” The maps pictured here represent this disparity when it comes to the distribution of political power among different caste compositions in Uttar Pradesh.

Madhya Pradesh reflects a similar vein of absences. For the 2023 state legislative elections, The Print found on a fieldwork based investigation that the now-ruling party of the state, BJP, had given 34% (79) of its tickets to upper caste candidates, followed by 30% to Backward Classes (69) — while only providing the Scheduled Tribe and the Scheduled Caste candidates 21% (47) and 15% (35) of its tickets — despite being the state with the largest number of tribes. It is also to be remembered that none of these tickets were given to candidates in unreserved constituencies.

This preference given to the provision of tickets to non-Dalit candidates translated in the poll results. The Hindu reported, “Despite its rhetoric over the question of caste census, Congress failed to make a dent in the OBC vote. Thus, BJP’s landslide victory was shaped by an accretion from most social sections, including the OBCs of Madhya Pradesh. Besides consolidating among its upper caste voter base, the BJP this time managed to attract more OBCs and Adivasis compared to 2018.

The Congress stayed significantly ahead of the BJP among SC communities, while other parties bagged 16%. The BSP polled 19% of the Jatav votes; with the Congress securing almost half the Jatav votes. Among the tribal voters, the Congress maintained an advantage over the BJP. The vote share was the closest among the Bhil community with a difference of only 4% between the Congress and BJP. The Congress secured half or more of the votes of other tribal communities; while the BJP managed more than a third of the votes. Congress did get overwhelming support among Muslims, though their population in the State is barely 7%—hardly enough to help the Congress make an impact. As mentioned above, with BJP gaining among Upper Castes, the Congress found very thin support among these sections, including the Rajputs, compared to 2018. In conclusion, it is clear that the BJP has consolidated its traditional upper caste vote bank, along with making significant inroads into the OBC communities in Madhya Pradesh. The Congress’s vote among the SC, ST and minority communities is not large enough to match the BJP’s social bloc.”

Tamil Nadu: Exceptional Violence

Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, has been known for fostering caste-consciousness from time immemorial. The private sphere is an example – where the National Family Health Survey data suggested that the state had one of the lowest rates of inter-caste marriages, only reaching a meagre 2.59%. The state also has the highest number of consanguineous marriages, with a whopping 28% share, as opposed to the national average of 11%. In a report on caste-based tensions in two villages in Tirunelveli, ThePrint reported, “Students wear coloured T-shirts inside their school uniform, which also refer to their caste identity. Sometimes, those T-shirts will also have the image of leaders of their communities,” said the headmaster of a government school in Madurai, who did not wish to be named … “In the village, we reside in Dalit colonies and they reside in the Upper Caste streets. So, once we get into the school, this segregation remains the same; they don’t sit next to us or mingle with us,” said a Class 10 student of a state-run school in Tirunelveli district.”

As the state gears up for the 2026 elections, one sees the carrying over of trends from 2024 Lok Sabha elections, as the BJP tries to shed its image as a Brahminical party in the state, and makes alliances and coalitions with smaller caste-based parties for greater parties. South First reports, “Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK, despite its anti-caste image, continues to partner with the KMDK, a regional ally whose leaders have made inflammatory caste-based remarks. The DMK’s support for KMDK-led cultural events, such as Valli Kummi performances, is seen as a move to win over the influential Kongu Vellalar Gounder community. Critics say the alliance highlights a growing ideological dissonance, where electoral calculus increasingly trumps the party’s professed commitment to social justice.” Many political theorists, like TN Raghu, have pointed out that the DMK and the AIADMK are two sides of the same coin – where they have alienated their rooting in Periyar’s anti-caste politics for vote banking strategies. Raghu told SF, “Whether in power or not, DMK has never really raised its voice against the dominant castes. Take for instance the honour killing of Sankar and the struggles of Kausalya – DMK never staged major protests or spearheaded movements around such incidents. They fear that aggressively opposing caste oppression will alienate majority caste voters. Often this silence is justified as political strategy … In elections, it is almost like a competition between DMK and AIADMK – who can stay more silent about caste issues and thereby win more votes from caste-dominant Hindu communities.”

Law Enforcement Failures

While most of these cases have never had any political leadership comment anything reformist, or acknowledge the depth of the rot in each state – the police have been equally responsible in lackadaisical delivery of judgement, if not perpetrating the very same violence in themselves. Out of the 113 cases calibrated by CJP when it comes to anti-Dalit atrocities, 9 were cases where the police directly were violent towards the victims, 6 were cases where no action was undertaken, and 5 were cases where it was unclear if a report was filed. Out of the remaining 92 cases where action was undertaken – there were 4 cases where the action undertaken was merely conducive to procedure and not actual ensuring of justice.

This tracks with NCRB data, which states that 12,159 cases of atrocities against STs were pending investigation, and a total of 2,63,512 cases of atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SCs) while 42,512 cases of atrocities against STs went for trial. Conviction percentage under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 in conjunction with the Indian Penal Code (IPC) remained at 36 per cent for SCs and 28.1 per cent for STs. At the end of the year, 96 per cent of cases of atrocities against SCs were pending trial whereas, for STs, the percentage stood at 95.49.

GC Pal, in Caste and Consequences: Looking through the Lens of Violence, writes, “As caste relations are rooted in the social structure, caste traditions and the advent of modernity together produce a new ‘coalition’ between dominant caste perpetrators and the classes (powerful members from their caste groups in community and also from administration). The social status of the accused and its association with larger ‘social class’ plays a significant role in course of access to justice. Overwhelming caste loyalties and sentiments influence the decisions of the personnel in administration and judiciary. Moreover, the administration being represented majorly by the dominant caste members very often show apathy towards the complaints. In this regard, Ambedkar (1989) is of the view that: ‘When law enforcement agency- the police and the judiciary, does not seem to be free from caste prejudice- since they are very much part of the same caste ridden society- expecting law to ensure justice to victims of caste crimes is rather an impractical solution to this perennial social problem.’ That is why, he emphasises that the presence of elaborate legal provisions may not always guarantee rights to social justice, it necessarily depends upon the nature and character of the civil services who administer the principle…‘If the civil services, by reason of its class bias, is in favour of the established social order in which the principle of equality had no place, the new order in the form of equal justice can never come into being’ (ibid)”

Conclusion

This report details the deep rot within the Indian socio-polity, and its exacerbation by the current Hindutva machinery, ideologically driven with accompanying violence against targeted sections as a key tool for penetration. Dalits are one such target.

The way forward, would perhaps be rooting policy action in accountability and welfare, then just vote bank strategy. Over the years, multiple judicial decisions have weakened the PoA, with judgements refusing to grant caste slurs “prima facie value” – when not made in “public view”.

According to Equality Now, the NCWL’s recommendations to India’s Central Government and State Governments outline steps duty-bearers should take to protect Dalit women and girls from sexual violence, and ensure justice and protection:

• Incorporate and effectively implement the abolition of caste-based discrimination and patriarchy in national-level law and policy;
• Recognise Dalit women as a distinct social group; develop and implement policies specifically focused on advancing their rights, wellbeing, equal standing, and protection within the law;
• Produce and disseminate disaggregated data on the status of Dalit women, particularly in government plans and development programmes; address intersectional forms of discrimination throughout the criminal justice system;
• Ensure full and strict implementation of existing legal protections, particularly the Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and the timely investigation and disposal of cases of violence against Dalit women and girls;
• Organise, support and fund community-based education, legal literacy and training programmes that improve understanding of intersectional discrimination and violence, including combating casteist and sexist stereotypes amongst criminal justice system officials; empower Dalit communities to better understand their legal and constitutional rights;
• Recognise that economic dependence is a significant reason behind Dalit women not filing police complaints; deliver a national plan with separate funding aimed at accelerating efforts to reduce the poverty gap between Dalit communities and the general population;
• Ensure Dalit survivors who report sexual violence are legally protected by the state from retaliation by the accused; prevent further violence targeting them, such as through social boycotts, and impose restrictions on these;
• Provide Dalit survivors and family members with immediate and longer-term assistance including medical aid, free legal aid, psycho-social support services and counselling, and quality, holistic rehabilitation.

Key to these systemic changes is acknowledgement of the deep-rootedness of the problem. Indian society and politics, resistant and rigid against such self-scrutiny when it comes to caste bias and communalism, has remained obdurate in its inability internalise this malaise. Until that happens, any measures taken to address the issue could remain palliative.

(The legal research team of CJP consists of lawyers and interns; this graphic visualisation report has been worked on by Saptaparma Samajdar)

Sources

1. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/dalit-men-tonsured-forced-crawl-cow-smuggling-allegations-odisha-10083930/
2. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/606848/pdf
3. http://www.india-seminar.c0m/2001/508/508%20martin%20macwan.htm.
4. https://thewire.in/rights/maoists-government-dialogue-plea-salwa-judum-chhattisgarh-adivasi
5. https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/03/27/india-ethnic-clashes-restart-manipur
6. https://www.landconflictwatch.org/all-conflicts
7. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/harvard-theological-review/article/abs/hindutva-religious-and-ethnocultural-minorities-and-indianchristian-theology/E61809FF5F9D5A78D9E9A6E817226B39
8. https://syahissc.wordpress.com/2023/12/10/the-banality-of-caste-recognising-caste-through-concealment-narratives/
9. https://revistascientificas.us.es/index.php/araucaria/article/view/27036/24166
10. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-54418513
11. https://equalitynow.org/press_release/india_caste_system_preventing_justice_nov2020/
12. https://www.ncwl.org.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/BEYOND-RAPEv1.0.pdf
13. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48504938
14. https://jgu.edu.in/jsgp/jindal-policy-research-lab/caste-and-victory-uttar-pradesh-analysis/
15. https://theprint.in/opinion/bjps-madhya-pradesh-candidate-list-lacks-obc-representation-congress-can-best-it/1837583/
16. https://www.thehindu.com/elections/madhya-pradesh-assembly/the-role-of-castes-and-communities-in-madhya-pradesh-vote-share/article67611007.ece
17. https://theprint.in/india/not-just-wristbands-life-in-tamil-nadu-schools-is-caste-coded-punishments-to-t-shirts/2160880
18. https://www.ncwl.org.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/BEYOND-RAPEv1.0.pdf
19. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48644566?searchText=&searchUri=&ab_segments=&searchKey=&refreqid=fastly-default%3A822b3e6ad5e2a5029ebffd9856f2a875&initiator=recommender&seq=7
20. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/not-every-insult-against-scst-persons-can-be-considered-as-offence-under-scst-protection-law-says-supreme-court/article68559244.ece
21. https://equalitynow.org/news/press-releases/indias_government_must_do_more_to_end_caste_based_sexual_violence_say_dalit_womens_rights_activists/
22. https://www.9dashline.com/article/narrating-violence-is-hindutva-responsible-for-violence-against-indias-christians
23. https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/hindutva-groups-increase-attacks-on-india-s-christian-school/
24. https://theprint.in/india/adivasi-identity-st-status-politics-whats-fuelling-anti-christian-attacks-in-chhattisgarh/1305275/

[1] From Human Rights Watch’s pathbreaking 1999 Report, Broken People. These quotations are from: 1 Human Rights Watch interview, Ahmedabad district, Gujarat, July 23, 1998. See explanation of manual scavenging below in the Summary and in Chapter VII. 2 Human Rights Watch interview, Madurai district, Tamil Nadu, February 17, 1998. 3 Human Rights Watch interview, Madurai city, Tamil Nadu, February 18, 1998. https://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/india/India994-02.htm#P350_19723

[2] “Dalit” is a term first coined by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, one of the architects of the Indian constitution of 1950 and revered leader of the Dalit movement. It was taken up in the 1970s by the Dalit Panther Movement, which organized to claim rights for “untouchables,” and is now commonly used by rights activists.

[3] https://www.amazon.in/Adivasi-Vanvasi-Tribal-Politics-Hindutva/dp/0143470485 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09731849241260929;

[4] A Committee set up by the Ministry of Human Resource Development and headed by Avdhash Kaushal reported on Ekal Vidyalaya schools in the Singhbhum district in Jharkhand and in the Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts in Assam. The Committee’s report, submitted to the MHRD in 2005, brings out the communalisation that is rampant in these schools and in their curriculum and textual materialsThe teacher at the Ekal Vidyalaya in Chirchi in Tantnagar block, Singhbhum district, proudly claimed that rather than imparting alphabetical knowledge, he was more intent on protecting “Hindu culture”. He also boasted of his role along with other colleagues in the illegal destruction of a half-built church in the village in 2002. The report states: “The training to the teachers of Ekal schools was mainly to spread communal disharmony in the communities and also to inculcate a fundamentalist political ideology… creating enmity amongst communities on the basis of religion.” The complete report, ‘Final Report on the field visit and observations of Mr Avdhash Kaushal for Singhbhum district in Jharkhand and Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts in Assam’, can be accessed at: http://www.sabrang.com/khoj/ekal_report.pdf

[5] MS Golwalkar, the chief ideologue of the RSS had espoused in We or Our Nationhood Defined, “…only those movements are true ‘National’ that aims at re-building, re-vitalising and emancipating from its present stupor, the Hindu Nation. Those only are nationalist patriots, who, with the aspiration to glorify the Hindu race and Nation next to their heart, are prompted into activity and strive to achieve that goal. All others are eithertraitors and enemies to the National cause, or, to take a charitable view, idiots…outsiders, bound by all the codes and conventions of the Nation, at the sufferance of the Nation and deserving of no special protection, far less any privilege or rights. There are only two courses open to the foreign elements (Christians and Muslims), either to merge themselves in the national race and adopt its culture or to live at its mercy so long as the national race may allow them to do so and to quit the country at the sweet will of the national race. That is the only sound view on the minorities’ problem’; https://sabrangindia.in/document/we-or-our-nationhood-defined-1947-edition/

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CJP approached the commission under Article 338(5)(a) and (b) of the Constitution, which mandates the National Commission for Scheduled Castes to investigate and monitor all matters relating to the safeguards provided for the Scheduled Castes under the Constitution or under any other law, and to inquire into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards of the Scheduled Castes.

The complaint meticulously lists of 30 numerous atrocities from April to June 2025, primarily from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. These incidents range from horrific sexual assaults, including rape and gang-rape of minor Dalit girls and women, to brutal murders, physical violence, and public humiliation. Instances include a deaf and mute Dalit girl being raped in Rampur, a 10-year-old boy brutally murdered in Etah, and a Dalit groom being beaten and forced off his horse in Agra.

Beyond physical violence, the complaint highlights social discrimination, such as Dalits being denied cremation rights, barred from temple entry, and subjected to casteist slurs. These incidents reveal a deeply ingrained prejudice that continues to inflict severe trauma and deny basic human rights. CJP’s filing with the NCSC is a crucial step towards seeking accountability for perpetrators and ensuring justice and protection for the marginalised Dalit community, emphasising the urgent need for stringent action and systemic change.

Widespread crimes against SCs violating the PoA Act and Civil Rights

CJP Stated in its complaint that, these incidents directly contravene the spirit and letter of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, and more critically, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (SC/ST PoA Act), which specifically aims to prevent atrocities against Scheduled Castes and to provide for special courts for the trial of such offenses and for relief and rehabilitation of the victims. The recurring nature of these incidents, especially the widespread instances of sexual violence and physical attacks, highlights a severe lapse in the implementation and enforcement of these crucial legislations.

Summary of the Incidents Reported

Targeted crimes against SCs, a pattern of abuse

Through complaint, CJP highlights that systemic, widespread incidents of caste-driven oppression that are prevalent countrywide, across states governed by different political dispensations pointing to a deep-rooted societal malaise that has not only acquired a frightening level of ‘normalised violence and oppression’ but also is ‘allowed because of structured levels of immunity’. While some measure of space and political representation has been ensured due to the affirmative action of reservations, even decades after independence, the Dalits have not achieved total emancipation. Even today, Dalits continue to be vulnerable to such attacks which are not just violent in nature but also emerge from trivial social stigma.

CJP also stated in its complaint that as per the NCRB report, there are a total of 70,818 cases of atrocities against SCs and 12,159 against STs that remained pending for investigation at the end of the year 2021. A total of 2,63,512 cases of SCs and 42,512 cases of STs were placed for trial in the courts. At the end of the year, more than 96 percent of the total cases were still pending for trial. Though the charge-sheeting percentage was more than 80%, but the conviction rate remained below 40%.

Legal issues and violations involved in anti-Dalits crimes

CJP mentioned in its complaint that the pervasive nature of these incidents highlights a profound and alarming issue: the persistent and egregious violation of the fundamental rights of Scheduled Castes. These crimes are not isolated, but rather represent a systemic failure to protect a vulnerable population, often underpinned by deeply entrenched caste-based discrimination.

Such acts directly violate various provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (PoA Act), specifically Sections 3(1) and 3(2). These sections criminalise intentional insults, intimidation with intent to humiliate, caste-name abuse in public view, and obstruction of access to common property resources or public places.

Furthermore, the willful neglect of duties by public servants, particularly police officers, is a direct violation of Section 4(1) of the PoA Act, and potentially Sections 198 and 120 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 for public servants disobeying the law or voluntarily causing hurt to extort confessions, as CJP added

Prayers of CJP for intervention

In light of these distressing facts, CJP urgently implores the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) to take immediate and decisive action. The primary prayers include mandatory registration and monitoring of FIRs, directing DGPs of affected states (Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra) to provide exhaustive reports on incident status, ensuring proper legal sections, and immediate registration of new FIRs where needed. CJP also seeks independent, impartial, and expeditious investigations with active NCSC monitoring, calling for Special Investigation Teams (SITs) and regular progress reports.

Crucially, it requests mandatory suspension and departmental proceedings against negligent public servants under the SC/ST (PoA) Act, emphasising accountability. Furthermore, CJP prays for the immediate and comprehensive provision of compensation, protection, and rehabilitation for victims and their families, ensuring medical, psychological, and legal aid.

Finally, CJP urges the NCSC to issue special, binding guidelines and advisories for prevention, including identifying atrocity-prone areas, mandating sensitisation training for police, establishing mechanisms for action against delinquent officials, and fostering public awareness and community engagement. The NCSC’s robust intervention is paramount to secure justice and deter future atrocities.

Related

CJP files complaint with NCSC, 11 anti-Dalit incidents highlighted since July 2023

CJP informs NCSC of Bihar police beating up minor Dalit boys for celebrating Holi; seeks action

CJP moves NCSC for protection for family of Dalit boy

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In Uttar Pradesh, a disturbing trend of sexual violence against Dalit women and minor girls has emerged, with numerous cases of rape, gang rape, and brutal assault being reported. These crimes are often marked by extreme cruelty and are frequently followed by police inaction or alleged bias, leaving victims and their families feeling helpless and unsafe.

Simultaneously, states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are witnessing rampant public discrimination. Dalits in these regions face social boycotts and are often denied basic rights, such as access to public water sources or the right to perform last rites at communal cremation grounds.

Incidents of Dalit grooms being attacked for riding a horse during their wedding processions have become distressingly common, highlighting the deep-seated feudal and casteist mind-sets that persist. This pervasive atmosphere of fear and oppression underscores a systemic failure to protect the country’s most vulnerable citizens, with violence and humiliation being used as tools to enforce archaic social hierarchies. The recurring nature of these crimes across these states points to a crisis that transcends isolated events, indicating a significant challenge to the rule of law and the constitutional promise of equality and security.

Uttar Pradesh

Rampur: Deaf and mute Dalit girl raped, private parts brutally injured, April 15

On April 15, 2025, a horrifying act of brutality unfolded in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur district, where an 11-year-old Dalit girl was assaulted so violently by 24-year-old Dan Singh that she remained unconscious for three days. She is currently receiving intensive medical care at Lala Lajpat Rai Medical College in Meerut.

The ordeal began on the evening of April 15, when the young girl, from the jurisdiction of Saifni police station, vanished after going to a field with her sister. A frantic all-night search by her family ended in tragedy on the morning of April 16, when she was discovered senseless in a field. Her body was covered in bite marks, and she was suffering from severe bleeding from her private parts. Rushed to a local government hospital, her condition necessitated a referral for more specialised treatment.

Police utilised CCTV evidence to apprehend Dan Singh, a resident of the same village, who sustained a leg injury during a police encounter. A medical professional on the case remarked, “The girl’s clothes were stained with blood. We completed the medico-legal examination and referred her to a higher centre. She was terrified and unable to explain anything. It is one of the most horrific sexual crimes I have seen.”

Child’s screams drowned out by threshing machine noise

Speaking to Dainik Bhaskar, the victim’s uncle shared his belief that the search until midnight was fruitless because the perpetrator had likely assaulted her elsewhere for the entire night before leaving her in the field.

He explained that wheat threshing operations were active in adjacent fields that night, and he speculates that the loud noise from the machinery would have muffled any screams for help. The uncle believes the attacker deliberately exploited this circumstance, rendering his crime utterly unforgivable.

Three police officers deployed for security

Since her admission on April 16, the victim has been under constant watch in the labour room of LLRM Medical College in Meerut. A security detail of three Rampur police officers is present around the clock, with visitation restricted to immediate family members. Her mother and uncle are serving as her main caregivers. The girl’s mother is reported to be in a state of inconsolable grief, finding it unbearable to witness the brutal marks of the assault on her daughter.

LOP Rahul Gandhi and Nagina MP Azad slammed the UP Government

The incident drew sharp criticism from the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who questioned, “How long will daughters continue to be victims of brutality?” He took to X to condemn the Uttar Pradesh government, writing, “The brutality and cruelty against an 11-year-old Dalit girl in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, is extremely shameful and shocking. Such continuous crimes in UP clearly prove that Dalits, and especially daughters, are completely unsafe under the BJP government.”

उत्तर प्रदेश के रामपुर में 11 वर्षीय दलित बेटी के साथ हुई दरिंदगी और क्रूरता बेहद शर्मनाक और झकझोरने वाली है।

UP में लगातार ऐसे अपराध साफ़ तौर पर साबित करते हैं कि BJP सरकार में दलित, और विशेष रूप से बेटियां, पूरी तरह असुरक्षित हैं।

ये BJP की दलित और महिला विरोधी मानसिकता का…

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 17, 2025

He further stated, “It is a result of BJP’s anti-Dalit and anti-women mind-set that criminals are fearless of law and order, and victims are helpless. After all, how long will the daughters of Uttar Pradesh continue to be victims of such brutality? There is a direct demand from the administration: take strict action against the perpetrator and ensure justice for the victim and her family as soon as possible.”

In a similar vein, Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad posted on X: “In Rampur district, a missing 10-year-old mentally challenged Dalit girl was found naked and unconscious in a field the next morning. There are bite marks on every part of her body. Her private parts are bleeding profusely.”

Calling the incident “a disgrace to humanity and proof of lawlessness in the state,” he prayed for the child’s recovery. He demanded, “I demand from the UP government that the culprits be arrested promptly. The case should be tried under strict sections of POCSO and the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. The trial should be held in a fast-track court. The victim child should receive the best treatment. The family should be provided permanent government protection.”

Dalit minor suffers double gang rape, police apathy, and arson in Unnao

Another shocking case has emerged from Uttar Pradesh where a Dalit minor girl was allegedly gang-raped twice by the same individuals within 44 days, followed by a retaliatory arson attack on her home. The first horrific incident occurred on December 31, 2021, when five men allegedly assaulted her. Despite the gravity of the crime, the Uttar Pradesh Police reportedly delayed registering a First Information Report (FIR) for over a year, only doing so in May 2023 after the victim’s family approached the POCSO court in Unnao.

Lingering injustice and further attacks

Compounding the initial injustice, the victim delivered a child in September 2022, conceived from the first alleged gang rape. The case gained renewed attention in April 2023 when one of the accused, out on bail, allegedly set fire to the minor’s house in Laad Kheda village. This act of retaliation resulted in severe burn injuries to her infant son and three-year-old sister, highlighting the perilous situation faced by the family.

Critics point to the police’s alleged failure to act on crucial evidence, including medical reports confirming pregnancy that pre-dated the second rape, and their inability to ensure the family’s safety even after the initial incidents. The victim’s lawyer highlighted the systemic failures, including issues with bail for the accused and insufficient protection for the vulnerable family.

Dalit girl gang-raped on way to school in UP’s Sultanpur, May 16

On May 16, another disturbing incident was reported from Sultanpur, where a 14-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly gang-raped by three youths, one a minor, as she headed to school on May 16, 2025. Police stated the crime occurred Friday morning when the Class X student was offered a ride by the 15-year-old accused. Instead of taking her to school, he and two accomplices, Pradeep (18) and Saurabh (18), took her to a room where she was bound, gagged, and raped, The Hindu reported.

After she regained consciousness an hour later, she called for help and informed her aunt. A case was registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the POCSO Act, and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Police subsequently arrested two accused and detained the minor.

TMC criticised UP CM Adityanath, alleges systemic failure

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has fiercely condemned Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, calling his administration an “UNMITIGATED DISASTER” for the state. This censure followed the gang rape of a 15-year-old Dalit girl in Sultanpur. The TMC declared that “Crimes against women have taken on EPIDEMIC PROPORTIONS” and accused the Uttar Pradesh Police of inaction that essentially provides criminals with a “free pass.”

CM @myogiadityanath has been an UNMITIGATED DISASTER for Uttar Pradesh. A 15-year-old Dalit girl was gang-raped on her way to school in Sultanpur.

Crimes against women have taken on EPIDEMIC PROPORTIONS, while @Uppolice looks the other way, effectively giving criminals a free… pic.twitter.com/B7NXoGfYr8

— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) May 18, 2025

The party also drew attention to the apparent silence from the ‘Beti Bachao’ campaign, the National Commission for Women (NCW India), and what it termed the ‘Godi Media’, suggesting a widespread systemic breakdown in protecting women from marginalised communities.

Moradabad, UP: 12-year-old Dalit girl gang raped, filmed by 5 schoolboys, May 8

The spate of sexual violence continued in Moradabad, where five schoolboys allegedly gang-raped a 12-year-old Dalit girl in a school principal’s office after giving her a drugged beverage. The assault, which happened on May 8, 2025 was recorded on video, and the perpetrators threatened the victim to ensure her silence before sharing the clip online. Following an FIR from the survivor’s mother, all five accused were arrested.

यूपी में स्कूल प्रिंसिपल के ऑफिसमें 12 साल की दलित बच्ची से 5 स्कूली छात्रों ने किया गैंगरेप, घटना मुरादाबाद की है…#DalitTimes | #Dalitlivesmatter | #UttarPradesh pic.twitter.com/oEsyYuJCE7

— Dalit Times | दलित टाइम्स (@DalitTime) May 23, 2025

The accused, who are also Dalits and aged between 12 and 15, were neighbours of the girl. The mother learned of the assault after a neighbour showed her the video.

She told police her daughter had seemed depressed. When confronted with the video, the girl recounted how the boys lured her to a school, drugged her, and then assaulted her, as reported by TOI

SSP Satpal Antil told TOI that a case had been filed and the minor accused would be presented before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB).

Similarly, Moradabad Police issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter) regarding the case. They confirmed that an FIR has been officially registered at the Civil Lines Police Station and five minor accused individuals have been taken into police custody and presented before court (JJB).

प्रकरण के संबंध में थाना सिविल लाइन्स पर सुसंगत धाराओं में मुकदमा पंजीकृत है,05 नाबालिग आरोपियों को पुलिस अभिरक्षा में लेकर माननीय न्यायालय के समक्ष भेजा जा चुका है।

— MORADABAD POLICE (@moradabadpolice) May 23, 2025

Bulandshahr, UP: 14-year-old Dalit girl raped for 7 months, April 28

A case of prolonged sexual abuse and official negligence emerged from Bulandshahr, where a station house officer was moved to police lines and a sub-inspector was suspended. This action came after they had turned away the parents of a 14-year-old Dalit girl who had been raped for months by a 50-year-old villager and was subsequently discovered to be pregnant.

The situation surfaced on April 28 when the girl’s pregnancy was confirmed at a hospital. She then disclosed that a local man had been raping her for seven months, threatening her family to maintain her silence, the TOI reported.

Her family alleged that when they approached the local police station, they were dismissed and pressured into signing an affidavit. After the family escalated the matter to Bulandshahr SSP Dinesh Kumar Singh, an investigation was initiated, leading to the officers’ suspension and the registration of an FIR.

UP, Mainpuri: Dalit woman raped at gunpoint in front of 4-year-old son, April 17, 2025

Further highlighting the vulnerability of Dalit women, a 40-year-old from Mainpuri district was allegedly raped at gunpoint before her four-year-old son on April 17, as per a report by the Times of India.

The crime took place after the woman sought a Rs. 20,000 loan from a man of another caste.

A 40-year-old #Dalit woman was allegedly raped at gunpoint in front of her four-year-old son in #UttarPradesh‘s Mainpuri district, police said.

Know more https://t.co/hDIRHPMZPD pic.twitter.com/sLhGkLatel

— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) April 22, 2025

An FIR has been lodged, and the investigation is in progress. SHO Anuj Kumar informed TOI that a case for rape under the BNS and the SC/ST Act has been registered. The victim’s complaint details how the accused offered her a loan, convinced her to ride on his motorcycle with her son, and then took them to a secluded area where he assaulted her, threatening to shoot her child if she resisted.

Kaushambhi, UP: 16-year-dalit minor girl gang raped, April 24

From Kaushambi district came another report of the alleged gang rape of a Dalit minor. Police confirmed on Tuesday that a case has been filed against three young men based on a complaint from the victim’s father.

According to Additional Superintendent of Police Rajesh Singh, a missing person report for the 16-year-old was initially filed on April 24. However, on April 27, her father submitted an application alleging that his daughter had been gang-raped and threatened by Shailendra Saroj (alias Zahid), his friend Sheru (alias Nazar Ahmed), and an accomplice, NDTV reported.

Mr. Singh confirmed that a case has been registered under the BNS, POCSO Act, and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and two police teams have been assigned to apprehend the suspects.

Rampur, UP: 12-year-old Dalit girl kidnapped from home, raped by neighbour, April 15 onwards

Echoing the horror from Rampur, a similar crime was reported from Agra’s Kheragarh area. A 12-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly abducted from her home as she slept and subsequently raped by a neighbour in the early hours of the next day i.e. April 21, 2025. Police stated the suspect, a local sweets vendor, entered the girl’s home, carried her to a secluded area, and assaulted her.

The girl courageously returned home to inform her father, a daily wage worker, who promptly reported the crime. An FIR was filed under Section 64(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for rape, alongside provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the POCSO Act, as reported by the Observer Post.

CCTV footage was instrumental in identifying the accused.

A police officer told the media, “Bloodstains were found at the crime scene. The accused, who lives nearby, fled with help from his community members. Further probe is underway.”

Etah, UP: 10-year-old boy brutally murdered, eyes gouged out, head crushed, May 14, 2025

Violence against Dalits has not been limited to sexual assault, as a gruesome murder of a 10-year-old boy in Etah sent shockwaves through the district. As per a report in Dainik Bhaskar, Anuj was with two friends when a man emerged from a cornfield and brutally attacked him with a knife on May 14, 2025 (Wednesday). His friends, who witnessed the horror, recounted how the attacker repeatedly stabbed Anuj before gouging out his eyes, mutilating his genitals, and crushing his head with a stone.

#Horrific A 10-year-old minor Dalit boy was brutally murdered, his eyes were gouged out and genitals were chopped off, this tragic incident took place in Etah, Uttar Pradesh. Atrocities on Dalits have become common in India…#DalitLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/AIbbX6DyQz

— The Dalit Voice (@ambedkariteIND) May 16, 2025

Anuj died from his injuries before reaching the hospital. His father alleged police inaction and pressure to conduct the funeral quickly. The family suspects the caretaker of a nearby orchard, who they claim has a history of violence. The post-mortem examination confirmed 13 severe injuries. Local authorities have assured a swift investigation, as reported by Dainik Bhaskar.

BJP leader accused of abusing, threatening Dalit research scholar; case filed, May 21

In a case of alleged political intimidation, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader has been accused of verbally abusing and threatening to kill a Scheduled Caste research scholar from Lucknow University. Police reported on Tuesday that an FIR has been filed. The complaint was lodged by Deepak Kanojia, who alleged that BJP leader Alok Singh called him on May 21, 2025 used caste-based slurs, and made death threats, as reported by Mooknayak

According to the complaint, Singh dared Kanojia to record the call, stating his lack of fear of the state’s law enforcement. Kanojia also claimed a history of political dispute and harassment by Singh, which he believes contributed to his father’s death from a heart attack.

Superintendent of Police Omveer Singh confirmed that a case has been registered against Alok Singh under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Dalit groom beaten, forced off horse in Agra; wedding guests injured, groom walks to venue, April 16, 2025

Caste-based violence during wedding celebrations continued with an incident in Agra on April 16, where a Dalit groom’s procession was attacked by a group of dominant caste men wielding sticks, rods, and swords. The conflict on Wednesday night was reportedly ignited by the playing of DJ music.

उत्तर प्रदेश में फिर दलित दुल्हें पर बरसा जातिवादियों का कहर, आगरा में दलित दुल्हें की बारत पर ठाकुरों ने लाठी डंडों से किया हमला, दुल्हे को बुरी तरह पीटा…@Uppolice | @agrapolice | #DalitLivesMatter | #Video pic.twitter.com/5g2i7UcJoO

— Dalit Times | दलित टाइम्स (@DalitTime) April 17, 2025

The assailants allegedly pulled the groom from his horse, beat him, and stole his gold chain. Several wedding guests who tried to intervene were also injured. The attackers, identified by the bride’s family as members of the Thakur community, allegedly continued their assault even after police arrived. A case has been filed against 20 individuals.

The incident was condemned by Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP Chief Mayawati, who posted on X: “The recent incident of violence against a Dalit wedding procession by casteist and feudal elements in Agra…is extremely worrying.” Bhim Army activists are now demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible.

Minor Dalit girl brutally thrashed on moving bus for opposing molestation in Lakhimpur Kheri

A public display of brutality occurred in Lakhimpur Kheri when a 16-year-old Dalit girl was mercilessly beaten on a moving bus after she resisted harassment from a group of men. The bus driver and conductor were also assaulted when they attempted to help her. A video of the assault, showing the girl being slapped and her hair being pulled, quickly went viral. The incident took place in the Padhua police station area, where, shockingly, about 50 other passengers reportedly witnessed the attack but did not intervene.

The Uttar Pradesh Congress shared the video and criticised the government on May 2, 2025.

लखीमपुर खीरी में चलती बस में मनचलों ने दलित नाबालिग लड़की के साथ छेड़छाड़ की, जब उसने विरोध किया तो उसे बेरहमी से पीटा।

मनचलों के हौसले इतने बुलंद थे कि बीच बचाव करने आए ड्राइवर और कंडक्टर को भी नहीं बख़्शा और उन्हें भी बुरी तरह पीटा।

बाबा जी के शासन में हर दिन सत्ता संरक्षित… pic.twitter.com/dsGfUDlGF3

— UP Congress (@INCUttarPradesh) May 2, 2025

In response, the Lakhimpur Kheri Police issued a statement confirming that a case has been registered and the named accused have been arrested.

प्रकरण के सम्बन्ध मे थाना पढुआ पर समुचित धाराओं मे अभियोग पंजीकृत है l नामजद आरोपियो की गिरफ़्तारी कर चालान किया जा चुका है l अग्रिम विधिक कार्यवाही प्रचलित है।

— KHERI POLICE (@kheripolice) May 2, 2025

Dalit women were brutally beaten by male police officers, 5 cops removed from their posts, May 11

An instance of alleged police brutality against Dalit women was reported from Meerut on May 11, where five policemen were taken off duty after videos surfaced showing them assaulting the women during a land dispute. The incident on Sunday afternoon in the Incholi area sparked public outrage and protests from political organisations.

#Horrific Dalit women were brutally beaten by male police officers, incident is from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.#DalitLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/tXEdjej2f0

— The Dalit Voice (@ambedkariteIND) May 10, 2025

The video footage shows a police team entering a residence and striking the women with sticks. One of the victims, Kavita Devi, stated, “police stormed into our home and beat us brutally with sticks.”

As per a report in the TOI, the incident led to demonstrations by groups like the Bhim Army Sena. Meerut SSP Dr. Vipin Tada confirmed that five policemen, including the local SHO, were moved to police lines pending a departmental inquiry.

Dalit couple brutally attacked in Bhadohi: abused, dragged by hair, clothes torn; 6 booked, May 23, 2025

In Bhadohi, a dispute over cattle led to a violent assault on a Dalit couple on Friday (May 23) morning. The farmer and his wife were beaten and subjected to caste-based insults in Anaich village. Police have since booked six individuals in connection with the attack.

जातिसूचक गालियां, बाल पकड़ कर घसीटा, कपड़े फाड़ने की कोशिश — भदोही में दलित दंपति पर कहर! पुलिस ने 6 पर दर्ज किया केस

रिपोर्ट- @EditorRajan #DalitLivesMatter #bhadohi #UttarPradeshhttps://t.co/HxCfIKebSe

— The Mooknayak (@The_Mooknayak) May 26, 2025

The conflict began when the complainant, Deepak Kumar Pasi, a landless Dalit farmer, complained that his landlord’s cattle had destroyed his crops. The landlord, Rajaram Yadav, allegedly became enraged, hurled casteist slurs, and, with his associates, assaulted Deepak with sticks and iron rods, Mooknayak reported.

The complaint further alleges that Deepak’s wife, Sumitra, was dragged by her hair and her clothes were torn. The couple sustained serious injuries requiring hospitalisation.

19-year-old Dalit student brutally murdered in Saharanpur; two accused arrested, May 25, 2025

A fatal shooting outside a college in Saharanpur claimed the life of a young Dalit student on May 25, 2025 (Sunday). Ashutosh Singh, a 19-year-old B. Pharma student, was attacked by a group of masked assailants with sticks and rods. When other students tried to help, one of the attackers shot Ashutosh in the face. He died while being transported to the hospital, as per a report in Mooknayak.

Following protests by the Bhim Army and other groups, police launched an investigation. Saharanpur SSP Rohit Singh Sajwan indicated the attack was motivated by personal enmity. After a police encounter, two suspects, Udit Road and Ayush Kumar, were arrested. An FIR has been registered for murder and under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Casteist slur found on wall at medical college, targets SC community, May 28, 2025

An act of caste-based harassment was reported from a medical college where the derogatory slur, “Chamar teri ma,” was found spray-painted on a wall. The graffiti, allegedly written by two students from the MBBS Batch of 2023, Shivam Chaudhary and Keshav Goel, specifically targets the Scheduled Caste (SC) community.

#Casteism In AIIMS Raebareli
Uttar Pradesh,

A derogatory and casteist slur “Chamar teri ma” was written on the wall using blue-colored spray paint, by shivam chaudhary and keshav goel from mbbs batch 2023.

Directly targeting the Scheduled Caste (SC) community. This act is… pic.twitter.com/MRMSEGhEbL

— The Dalit Voice (@ambedkariteIND) May 28, 2025

Such an act represents a severe violation of human dignity and contravenes the legal and constitutional protections afforded to SC/ST students.

Over the incident, Raebareli Police responded on X that, “The Station House Officer (SHO) of Bhadokhar has been directed to take necessary action.”

थानाध्यक्ष भदोखर को आवश्यक कार्रवाई हेतु निर्देशित किया गया है ।

— Raebareli Police (@raebarelipolice) May 28, 2025

A Dalit minor girl studying in 8th class was kidnapped and gang-raped for 3 days, June 14, 2025

From Fatehpur, a deeply tragic case emerged involving an 8th-grade Dalit minor girl who was reportedly kidnapped and then subjected to a brutal three-day gang rape. Her ordeal concluded when she was left, severely injured, at a hospital, where she tragically succumbed to her injuries.

Her grieving family members maintain that her life might have been saved if the local police had acted with greater urgency and diligence.

Casteist mob attacks Dalit family at wedding hall in UP, May 30, 2025

Wedding celebrations for a Dalit family in Rasra, Uttar Pradesh, turned violent when a mob of men attacked them with sticks and rods on Friday night. The assailants allegedly shouted caste-based insults, expressing anger that a Dalit family was using a marriage hall.

According to the Observer Post, the brother of one of the injured men filed a police report, stating, “We were celebrating happily when suddenly a group of men stormed in and shouted, ‘How can Dalits hold a wedding in a hall?’ Then they started beating everyone.” The attack at the Swayamvar Marriage Hall left two people hospitalised. Rasra Police have registered a case, which includes charges under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Dalit groom attacked over car reversing in wedding & robbed in Aligarh, May 28, 2025

Another wedding-related assault occurred in Aligarh on May 28, when a Dalit groom was reportedly attacked and robbed. The incident took place in Atrauli as the groom’s procession arrived in Kazmabad village. The groom, Karan, explained that as his driver was backing up their car, a group of 20-25 men from the Lodhi Rajput community assaulted them.

उत्तर प्रदेश : अलीगढ़ में दलित दुल्हे की बारात चढ़ने से रोकी, मारपीट की, पीड़ित का आरोप, पुलिस ने नहीं लिखी लूट की FIR, SC, ST एक्ट भी नहीं लगाया. वीडियो सुनिए… @Uppolice | @aligarhpolice pic.twitter.com/In6UmRQsWK

— Dalit Times | दलित टाइम्स (@DalitTime) May 31, 2025

They allegedly stole the groom’s gold chain, a cash garland, and Rs. 50,000 from his pocket while preventing the procession from continuing. According to BSP District President Suresh Gautam, women in the vehicle were also harassed, and the Station House Officer on scene allegedly failed to intervene. Police later ensured the wedding ceremony was completed and have registered a case based on the family’s formal complaint.

Bihar

Dalit woman dragged by hair during police raid, casteist slurs hurled, May 18

In Bhagalpur district, a police raid in the Nathnagar Pasi Tola area sparked massive local outrage after a Dalit woman was allegedly dragged by her hair by officers. The raid was conducted without the presence of any female police personnel. The incident occurred on May 18, when 52-year-old Jyothi Bharti was with her sick mother. Police officers allegedly entered the home and began shouting casteist slurs.

When Jyothi asked them to stop, the officers reportedly retorted, “How dare people from a lower caste question us?” They returned an hour later, dragged Jyothi to the police station by her hair, and tore her clothes, holding her there overnight. Her sister, Rajni, told the media that police have since filed an attempted murder case against Jyothi. “My sister is still in police custody.

Police have also arrested 15-20 other people from the Dalit community,” Rajni said, as reported by the Siasat.

Villagers alleged the officers were from the Bhumihar caste and had assaulted residents without provocation.

Rajasthan

Dalit youth in Rajasthan sexually assaulted, beaten, urinated on; accused used caste slurs, April 8

In Rajasthan’s Sikar district, a young Dalit man was reportedly subjected to a humiliating assault where he was beaten, sexually abused, and urinated upon by two men who also used caste-based slurs. The perpetrators threatened to release a video of the attack if he went to the police. The crime, which took place on April 8, was not reported until April 16. A case has since been registered under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

According to the Observer Post, the survivor stated in his complaint, “They were drunk. They hit me with a bottle, urinated on me, and used casteist abuses.”

The incident has ignited a political controversy, with former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot noting that the victim’s trauma was so profound he could not file a complaint for eight days.

Dalit Youth Beaten for Drinking Water from Grocery Shop Pot in Rajasthan’s Nagaur, June 1, 2025

A Dalit youth named Omprakash Meghwal was allegedly physically assaulted and verbally abused with casteist slurs in Kantia village, Nagaur district. The confrontation happened after he drank water from a pot that was placed outside a grocery store on June 1, 2025 (Sunday evening). The shop owner, Kaluram Jat, and two others reportedly demanded his name and caste.

Upon learning he was from a Scheduled Caste, they allegedly beat him and threatened him. Even after Omprakash tried to pacify them by cleaning the pot, the abuse continued, forcing him to flee. Later that night, the accused allegedly drove around the area, intimidating residents.

According to the Observer Post, a police complaint was filed the next day, and the three suspects were eventually detained. Nagaur Superintendent of Police Narayan Togas confirmed that the accused have been booked under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Dalit woman sarpanch, husband attacked over MNREGA Work, June 8

A Dalit woman sarpanch and her husband were assaulted with an axe on June 8 in Kharesh village, Didwana district. The couple was overseeing a road construction project under the MNREGA scheme at the time of the attack.

Dalit Woman Sarpanch, Husband Attacked With Axe Over MNREGA Road Work in Rajasthan; Caste Slurs Hurled

Read:https://t.co/ZNMjbm0AYD

— The Observer Post (@TheObserverPost) June 11, 2025

The accused, Bhanwar Singh, allegedly attacked them because he believed the construction was encroaching on his property. Didwana SP Hanuman Prasad stated, “The issue was a land dispute.” Singh reportedly used casteist slurs and pursued the couple with an axe. A video captured several women attempting to disarm him. The SP confirmed the couple was not seriously injured and a case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Bhanwar Singh remains at large.

Dalit nurse dies by suicide after assault and alleged police indifference in Rajasthan, May 2, 2025

A 26-year-old Dalit nurse took her own life on May 2, 2025 after she was brutally assaulted, molested, and subjected to caste-based humiliation by her upper-caste neighbours in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan. Her suicide note expressed her despair, stating she could no longer live with “casteism and people’s filthy gazes.” The incident, which began on April 30 over a minor water dispute, escalated into a targeted attack where she was reportedly clawed on her chest and face, an act of deliberate humiliation, the Observer Post reported

The family claims that despite the assault, they were made to wait for over nine hours at the local police station, where only minor charges were filed, allowing the accused to be released immediately. Overcome with hopelessness, the victim hanged herself on May 2. Her death prompted widespread protests in Jodhpur, eventually pressuring the police to register a case of abetment to suicide against four individuals.

Madhya Pradesh

Dalit groom’s procession stoned in Tikamgarh: woman attacks groom on horse, April 25, 2025

An act of caste-based aggression marred a wedding in Mokhara village, Tikamgarh district, where a Dalit groom’s pro        cession was pelted with stones. The event took place within the Baragaon police station area during the pre-wedding rituals for Jitendra Ahirwar. As Jitendra was riding a mare through the village for a traditional ceremony, a woman began throwing stones at him.

राजस्थान के टीकमगढ़ में दलित दूल्हे जितेंद्र अहिरवार की बारात को रोक कर महिला ने किया पत्थरों से हमला…

◆ महिला के घर के सामने से निकल रही थी दलित दूल्हे की बारात…बारात में शामिल दलित महिलाएं हाथ जोड़कर करती रहीं मना, मामले में 3 पर FIR दर्ज, महिला गिरफ्तार …. pic.twitter.com/lyICpBcuCZ

— Dalit Times | दलित टाइम्स (@DalitTime) April 26, 2025

The incident was captured on video by onlookers. Following the disruption, Jitendra and his family lodged a formal complaint with the Baragaon police. Station House Officer Narendra Verma confirmed that a case has been registered against three individuals: Bhan Kunwar Parmar for throwing stones, and her relatives, Drig Pal and Surya Pal, for assaulting the groom’s family. The woman has been taken into custody, while a search is on for the other two accused.

Dalit man denied cremation in Sheopur; family protests with body on road, April 28, 2025

A disturbing incident of caste discrimination unfolded in Leelda village, Sheopur district, where a Dalit family was prevented from performing the last rites for a family member. The body of Jagdish Jatav, who had died in an accident, was brought to his village, but members of the Rawat community blocked his cremation.

The Jatav community’s usual cremation ground had been acquired for a railway line. When they attempted to use a government-allotted plot for the funeral, they were met with resistance.

Reported the Mooknayak, Rawat women declared, “We will not allow bodies to be cremated in our fields.” In response, the enraged Jatav community blocked a major road with the body, which led to stone-pelting. This act is a punishable offense under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The incident was sharply condemned by Congress leaders, who demanded strict action.

Tribal woman raped, tortured with iron rod, bleeds to death before help arrives, May 24, 2025

In a case of extreme brutality, a 45-year-old tribal woman died in Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa district after being raped and tortured by two men. Police have arrested two suspects who were last seen with the victim. The savage nature of the assault, which occurred in a village about 170km from Indore, has drawn comparisons to the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape.

#Horrific Tribal woman was gang-raped and then her intestines were pulled out by inserting hands in her rectum, incident happened in Khandwa city of Madhya Pradesh. pic.twitter.com/uAkSVRZi0d

— The Dalit Voice (@ambedkariteIND) June 4, 2025

The woman had returned from a wedding with one of the suspects. Investigators believe she went to the suspect’s house, where the assault took place. A family member of the suspect found the victim bleeding and in pain in the courtyard. Instead of being taken to a doctor, she was taken to her own home nearby, where she succumbed to her injuries, reported the Times of India.

Dalit man’s cremation halted in MP’s Sheopur, sparks caste clashes, April 28

A similar incident of a cremation being obstructed occurred on April 28 in Leelda village, where an upper-caste group allegedly blocked the cremation of a Dalit man on government land. This led to stone-pelting and a road blockade. The deceased’s family had attempted to use a plot they claim was designated for cremations after their original ground was acquired for a railway project. However, the land is reportedly encroached upon by some upper-caste residents.

An argument escalated into violence, and in protest, the Dalit community placed the body on the main road. Senior officials intervened to manage the tense situation, which underscores the persistent caste discrimination and land disputes in the area, reported the Observer Post.

Dalit youth murdered over ration dispute in MP; accused absconding, June 9, 2025

A dispute at a government ration shop in Bilhari village of Chhatarpur district turned fatal when a 19-year-old Dalit youth, Pankaj Prajapati, was shot and killed in broad daylight. His brother was also injured in the altercation, which reportedly stemmed from an argument over the distribution of ration supplies. One of the accused opened fire, and Pankaj died from his injuries while being transported for medical care.

Three individuals have been booked for the crime under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and the Arms Act. All accused are currently on the run. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemned the murder, linking it to systemic caste oppression and alleging official delays in the investigation.

Gujarat

Dalit activist alleges casteist abuse on Instagram after protest in Amreli, May 18, 2025

A Dalit social activist, Naresh Vala, has lodged a police complaint in Amreli, stating he was subjected to casteist abuse on Instagram post on April 25. The harassment allegedly began after he participated in a protest concerning the movement of heavy vehicles for a wind turbine project through village roads.

Vala’s complaint with the Amreli cybercrime police identifies the Instagram user as Raol Vanrajsinh Chavda, who is now facing charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the IT Act, and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The issue started in December after Vala discussed villagers’ concerns on Facebook Live, after which he started receiving abusive and caste-based insults on his Instagram account.

Dalit man found dead, partially burnt and cross-dressed, in Patan; murder suspected, May 27, 2025

The body of a 60-year-old Dalit man, Harji Solanki, was found under highly suspicious circumstances near a pond in Jakhotara village. Police sources indicated the body was partially burned and was oddly attired in women’s clothing, including a ghaghra and anklets.

Vadgam MLA Jignesh Mevani confirmed the victim’s identity as a Dalit and voiced serious concern over the state of the body. The initial police assessment suggests murder. The Patan Local Crime Branch has started an investigation, and the body has been sent for a post-mortem to determine the cause of death and shed light on the bizarre circumstances.

Dalit man dies after brutal assault in Gujarat over alleged casteist “Beta” remark; nine arrested, May 16

A 20-year-old Dalit man, Nilesh Rathod, died from his injuries six days after being brutally assaulted. The attack allegedly occurred because he addressed a teenager from another caste as “beta” (a term for son) at a shop on May 16. The initial confrontation at a bhajiya stall in Jarakhia village escalated when Rathod’s uncle confronted the shop owner, leading to a mob attack on the family with sticks and sickles while shouting casteist slurs.

Nine of the eleven individuals allegedly involved have now been arrested and face charges including murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. In response, Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani protested with Rathod’s family, denouncing the “deeply rooted casteism” in Gujarat and demanding government compensation for the victim’s family.

गुजरात के अमरेली जिले के लाठी तहसील के जरखिया गांव का दलित युवान नीलेश अपने 3 साथियों के साथ एक दुकान पर नमकीन का पैकेट खरीदने गया था।

दुकान पर बैठे छोटे बच्चे का हाथ पैकेट तक पहुंच नहीं रहा था तो दलित युवकों ने कहा “बेटा, हम खुद पैकेट उतार ले क्या?”

यह सुनते ही दुकान मालिक… pic.twitter.com/d1NS1uE5fE

— Jignesh Mevani (@jigneshmevani80) May 23, 2025

Himachal Pradesh

Dalits are not allowed to enter the temples or touch the deity in Himachal Pradesh, May 13

Allegations of severe caste-based discrimination have surfaced from the Parashar Rishi Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, following the emergence of a recent video. The footage indicates that Dalits are systematically prevented from entering the temple and are forbidden from touching the deity, confining their worship to areas outside the main sanctum.

#Untouchability This video is of Parashar Rishi Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, where Dalits are not allowed to enter the temples or touch the deity, they are stopped outside, even the offering money is taken from a distance, it is a common practice in Himachal Pradesh… #Casteism pic.twitter.com/W9NdcA9apC

— The Dalit Voice (@ambedkariteIND) May 13, 2025

It is also alleged that their offerings are collected from a distance, reinforcing a rigid social hierarchy. This visual documentation of untouchability in a religious space has ignited outrage and highlighted the ongoing struggles of marginalised communities to exercise their right to worship with dignity in the region.

Karnataka

Dalit youth barred from temple entry in Karnataka; case registered amid tensions, May 10, 2025

A 26-year-old Dalit youth was allegedly denied entry into the Rama Anjaneya temple in Kavandala village on Saturday (May 10, 2025), an incident that has led to a police case and heightened caste tensions. The conflict began when Swaminath tried to enter the temple to pray.

He was reportedly blocked by two individuals from the Vokkaliga community, who allegedly informed him that his community “traditionally does not enter the temple and should not do so even now.”

A video of the ensuing argument, where Swaminath questioned the denial of his constitutional rights, went viral. After initially withdrawing his police complaint under village pressure following a peace meeting, he re-filed it on Monday. A case has now been registered against the two accused under the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Dalit woman attacked and verbally abused over payment dispute, CCTV footage viral, June 10

A disagreement over a Rs. 500 note escalated into a casteist assault on a Dalit woman at a medical shop in Udupi district. The victim, Lakshmi, was allegedly attacked and verbally abused by a customer named Yasmeen.

According to the Mooknayak, the incident was captured on CCTV, showing Yasmeen becoming enraged when Lakshmi suggested a digital payment because she lacked change. The altercation turned physical, with Yasmeen allegedly using casteist slurs.

कर्नाटक में दलित महिला पर हमला, ग्राहक ने की जातिसूचक गालियों की बौछार – सीसीटीवी फुटेज वायरल

रिपोर्ट- @EditorRajan #DalitLivesMatter #karnatakahttps://t.co/IXvYJbkTaZ

— The Mooknayak (@The_Mooknayak) June 10, 2025

The viral footage has caused widespread anger. Lakshmi was hospitalised with injuries. Udupi District SP Hariram Shankar has assured that strict legal action will be taken. Dalit organisations are demanding stringent punishment under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Andhra Pradesh

Dalit engineering student kidnapped, tortured, and forced to drink urine in Tirupati, May 16, 2025

A shocking case of abduction and torture involving a Dalit engineering student in Tirupati has reverberated across Andhra Pradesh.

The victim, 22-year-old A. James, a final-year B.Tech student, was allegedly kidnapped along with his friend. In a subsequent video statement, James described his harrowing experience. “They brutally beat me for three to four days,” he recounted, alleging that he was targeted with casteist slurs and forced to drink urine. “They said – ‘How dare you, being from an SC caste, be so courageous?’ I was beaten badly. I want justice,” he stated, as per a report in the Mooknayak

According to police, the accused held James and his friend captive in a hotel room, assaulting them with belts and iron rods. The victims eventually escaped. Tiruchanur police have registered a case for kidnapping, grievous hurt, and caste-based assault under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita. Former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy condemned the incident, blaming the state’s deteriorating law and order.

3-year-old Dalit girl raped, murdered in Kadapa district; accused arrested, May 23, 2025

A horrifying crime has come to light from Kadapa district, where a 3-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly raped and then murdered by a 25-year-old Muslim man, Rahmatullah, on Friday, May 23, 2025. District police confirmed the incident on Saturday.

Additional Superintendent of Police Prakash Babu identified the accused as a resident of Kambaladinne village. The victim’s parents were visiting the village for a relative’s wedding. Police stated that the accused lured the child away with sweets while she was playing, then led her behind the wedding hall where he allegedly raped and strangled her. Rahmatullah is in police custody and has been charged under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the POCSO Act.

Dalit minor raped by 13 Youths in Satya Sai District, pregnancy reveals horrifying ordeal, June 5, 2025

In another case of extreme sexual violence, a Class 9 Dalit girl’s pregnancy in Edugurralapalli village revealed she had been repeatedly assaulted by her boyfriend and 12 other youths. The truth emerged when her parents took her for treatment for frequent illness and an RMP discovered she was six months pregnant.

The minor girl told Ramagiri police that her boyfriend, Abhishek, had initiated the assaults. He later shared details with a friend, who also raped her and recorded the act. The video was then used to blackmail her as 11 other youths sexually assaulted her.

#Horrific In Andhra Pradesh, a Dalit minor girl was raped multiple times by 13 people, leaving her pregnant…#DalitLivesMatter #DalitMinorGirl pic.twitter.com/czPQG6P4Uq

— The Dalit Voice (@ambedkariteIND) June 9, 2025

Despite the video circulating, some community elders reportedly attempted to force a monetary settlement. Satya Sai SP P.V. Rathna intervened to ensure a case was registered. Cases have been filed under the POCSO and SC/ST Atrocities Acts against the 13 youths and two village elders accused of trying to cover up the crime.

Telangana

NCSC seeks report on IAS Officer’s ‘Dalit Students Must Clean Toilets’ remark, June 3

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has demanded a report from Telangana’s top officials after an audio clip surfaced, allegedly featuring IAS officer S. Alagu Varshini. In the clip, the officer, who is the Secretary of a society running residential schools for Scheduled Caste children, is purportedly heard instructing school principals to have students clean their own toilets, classrooms, and hostels daily. She reportedly justified the directive by stating that students from poor backgrounds must learn self-care.

The alleged remarks sparked outrage, with BRS leaders condemning them as discriminatory and indicative of the current government’s “anti-poor attitude.” While Varshini defended her comments as promoting self-reliance, the incident has fuelled a debate on student dignity and caste bias. The NCSC has requested an action-taken report within 15 days.

Maharashtra

Dalit man brutally attacked for aiding teenager in Maharashtra; family alleges police bias, June 4, 2025

A Dalit man, Vaibhav Khandagale (32), and his family were viciously assaulted by upper-caste individuals in Shirapur Gat village on June 4. The attack was reportedly an act of retaliation because Vaibhav had helped a sick Dalit teenager by taking him to the hospital. Later that evening, a group of 10-12 upper-caste men ambushed Vaibhav, verbally abusing him with casteist slurs like, “Are you too arrogant because of money? These Mahars (Dalits) have become very proud.”

They beat him with iron rods, stole his wallet, and took gold ornaments from his mother’s home. He was dragged and beaten on the street in front of over 200 villagers.

The Mooknayak spoke with Vaibhav’s brother, who claimed villagers blocked their path to the hospital and that police assistance was delayed. The family alleges police bias, stating they had to wait for hours at the police station before an FIR was registered under pressure, and that a counter-case was filed against them as a tactic to undermine their complaint under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. They are demanding a prompt and impartial investigation.

Examining the persistence of caste-based crimes

The continuation of serious crimes against Dalits, despite constitutional safeguards and specific laws like the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, raises significant concerns. The frequency of these incidents, often with a perception of impunity for the accused, challenges the fundamental principles of equality and dignity for India’s vulnerable communities. This situation prompts an examination of underlying systemic issues that allow such violence and discrimination to persist beyond isolated events.

This pattern points to the need to address the root causes of continued caste-based violence, including enduring social hierarchies, allegations of police inaction or bias, and other potential pressures on the justice system. The recurring nature of these incidents—from violent crimes like rape and murder to social boycotts and the obstruction of basic rights—highlights a significant challenge to the rule of law. Rigorously addressing these deep-rooted issues and ensuring accountability are critical to breaking the cycle of violence and upholding the constitutional promise of equality.

Related

Statewide Attacks: Caste fury unleashes brute violence against Dalit students

Caste Cloud Over Ambedkar Jayanti: From campus censorship to temple exclusion

Tribal women paraded, assaulted; nationwide outrage follows

The post The cost of being a Dalit: Rapes, murders, and public humiliation plague communities across the states appeared first on SabrangIndia.

In his letter, Mevani alleged that Kumari, a senior bureaucrat in Gujarat, made discriminatory and derogatory comments about marginalised communities, especially Dalits and Adivasis, during an official government meeting. According to Mevani, the incident occurred on October 23 during the “Taluka Swagat Karyakram,” a public grievance redressal program under Gujarat’s SWAGAT (State-Wide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology) initiative.

Mevani cited a recorded video as evidence, claiming it captures Kumari saying that 90% of cases registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, commonly known as the Atrocities Act, are used for blackmail rather than legitimate grievances. Mevani described these remarks as “appalling” and “casteist,” noting that they show disdain and disrespect for marginalised communities. He argued that Kumari’s statements go beyond mere insensitivity, instead representing a blatant violation of Section 3(1)(r) and Section 3(1)(s) of the Atrocities Act, which prohibit public servants from intentionally insulting or intimidating Schedule Caste/Schedule Tribe individuals. Under these sections, any form of humiliation, abuse, or threat against Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe members by a public servant in a public space is considered a criminal offense, punishable by imprisonment and fines.

The letter further described Kumari’s derogatory language toward lawyers, who she reportedly said should be “slapped with slippers” if they support such grievances. Mevani argued that such remarks from a high-ranking official undermine the dignity of both SC/ST communities and legal professionals, whose role is to advocate for the marginalised. He requested that the President take immediate action to suspend Kumari and investigate her conduct, stressing that this behaviour reflects a broader pattern of casteist and patriarchal attitudes within the bureaucracy that must be addressed at the highest levels.

Mevani took to social media to put out the letter addressed to the President, stating “Request to His Excellency the President demanding the arrest of IAS Neha Kumari. On 23rd October, Gujarat’s Mahisagar district collector Neha Kumar (IAS) insulted a Dalit youth Vijay Parmar on the stage of a government program by saying, “You deserve to be beaten with a chappal, you bastard.” She said about lawyers, “They do the work of getting beaten with chappals” and also displayed her casteist thinking by saying that 90% of the atrocity cases are done for blackmailing! The use of these words is definitely worth filing an FIR under the Atrocities Act. Therefore, today a letter was written to His Excellency the President demanding to permanently dismiss Neha Kumari from her job and to register an FIR against her and ensure her immediate arrest.”

IAS नेहा कुमारी की गिरफ्तारी की मांग करते हुए महामहिम राष्ट्रपति जी की सेवा में निवेदन।

23 अक्टूबर को गुजरात के महिसागर जिले के कलेक्टर नेहा कुमार (IAS) ने सरकारी कार्यक्रम के मंच पर से दलित युवक विजय परमार को ” चप्पल से मारने के लायक है, हरामी साला” यह कहकर अपमानित किया। वकीलों… pic.twitter.com/Y1tWAZQ0Qg

— Jignesh Mevani (@jigneshmevani80) November 6, 2024

The letter may be read below:

Mevani has also demanded of the Gujarat government to immediately suspend Collector Neha Dubey if they do not endorse her statement. Mevani also demanded that a case be filed against the collector under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. His stance is also being supported by Gujarat Scheduled Castes Congress President Hitendra Pitharia who has raised the demand for the filing of an FIR against the collector by visiting the police station. As per a report of The Mooknayak, Pitharia said that when people in administrative positions harbour such casteist mindsets, it is distressing to imagine how ordinary Dalits and tribals will be treated. He called for the immediate suspension of Collector Neha Kumari and strict action against her.

Details of alleged casteist and unprofessional behaviour

The core incident, as provided by Mevani, occurred on October 23, 2024 during a SWAGAT program at the Mahisagar District Collectorate. This initiative, established by the Gujarat government, aims to address public grievances directly by allowing citizens to present issues to district officials. Vijay Parmar, a Dalit person, attended the event to raise grievances on behalf of marginalised communities. During his interaction with the Collector, Parmar reportedly recorded the conversation, capturing Kumari’s allegedly offensive remarks.

She made the contentious statements in her office before Parmar, a Dalit law student, whose video of the incident is now circulating widely. In the video, the collector reportedly described 90% of atrocity cases as “tools of blackmail” and stated that most women also file false cases under Section 498A. Additionally, she commented on lawyers, saying they deserve to be “hit with slippers.”

In the video, Kumari allegedly commented that marginalised communities, particularly Dalits, misuse the Atrocities Act to blackmail members of the general caste, thereby casting SC/ST individuals in a negative light. Mevani highlighted that such statements from a government officer overseeing public welfare and grievance redressal display deep-seated bias and perpetuate harmful stereotypes against SC/ST communities. Additionally, he noted that Kumari’s dismissive attitude toward Parmar’s grievances, coupled with her disparaging remarks about the legal profession, conveyed contempt for both the rights of marginalised people and the legal mechanisms designed to protect them.

Mevani also pointed out an incident where one of Kumari’s subordinates attempted to confiscate Parmar’s mobile phone on her instructions, seemingly to prevent him from recording the conversation. According to Mevani, this action demonstrated an authoritarian and non-transparent approach to governance, raising questions about the accountability of public servants. He emphasised that, contrary to any justification provided by Kumari’s office, there is no law prohibiting citizens from recording their interactions with government officials. He argued that the attempt to seize Parmar’s phone exemplified the excessive control that some bureaucrats exercise, stifling the voices of those seeking justice.

The video of the said incident may be viewed here:

https://x.com/jigneshmevani80/status/1851528836829085801

it is crucial to note that Mevani’s letter to the President was preceded by public demands he made on October 30 for Neha Kumari’s suspension. During a visit to Lunawada, the district headquarters, Mevani called for an FIR to be filed against Kumari under the Atrocities Act for her “insensitive” and “unparliamentary” language. He publicly condemned her alleged statement that 90% of cases filed under the Atrocities Act are intended for blackmail, asserting that such views demean SC/ST communities and undermine the purpose of protective legislation for historically marginalised groups.

Mevani’s appeal to the President thus represents a call for accountability and transparency within the government. He argued that the alleged casteist and authoritarian behavior by bureaucrats like Kumari must be addressed to maintain public trust in the administration. The letter underscores Mevani’s commitment to protecting SC/ST communities from bias and discrimination within the public sector, particularly when these groups seek redressal for grievances.

लुनावाडा के कलेक्टर द्वारा एट्रोसिटीज एक्ट पर की गई विवादित टिप्पणी के खिलाफ कल विरोध प्रदर्शन। pic.twitter.com/IQEYrUfXv5

— Jignesh Mevani (@jigneshmevani80) October 29, 2024

Neha Kumari’s response to the allegations raised by MLA Jignesh Mevani

As per multiple media reports, Neha Kumari dismissed Mevani’s claims as a “political stunt” aimed at gaining publicity. She defended her conduct, stating that Vijay Parmar, whom Mevani described as a “poor, innocent young friend,” has a criminal background, with police cases filed against him and serious allegations against his brother, including charges of rape, kidnapping, and assault. According to Kumari, Parmar and his family members frequently visit her office with grievances, often pressuring her to act outside her legal authority. At the SWAGAT program, Kumari claimed, Parmar demanded that she file a case against police officers, despite her explanation that such matters should be addressed with the Superintendent of Police (SP) or in court.

Kumari further stated that Parmar threatened her, warning her about his knowledge of Section 4 of the Atrocities Act, seemingly to intimidate her based on her caste identity. She argued that such actions constitute an abuse of the Act, as it was designed to protect genuine victims, not to be misused for personal vendettas. Kumari criticised Mevani’s support for Parmar, contending that it risks undermining law and order by encouraging individuals with criminal records to exploit the system. She claimed that the alleged misuse of the Atrocities Act complicates the pursuit of justice for legitimate victims, as it fosters skepticism among officials and distracts from genuine cases.

Relevant legal provisions applicable to the IAS Officer’s alleged conduct

The allegations against Mahisagar District Collector Neha Kumari, as described by MLA Jignesh Mevani, could potentially attract several legal provisions under Indian law due to her alleged casteist and derogatory comments, unprofessional behaviour, and attempts to obstruct public grievance redressal. The following are key legal provisions that may be relevant in this context:

1. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989

The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, commonly known as the Atrocities Act, is intended to prevent discrimination, humiliation, and violence against members of SC/ST communities. The Act includes specific sections that criminalise any attempt by public servants to intimidate, insult, or humiliate SC/ST individuals, which are as follows:

• Section 3(1)(r): This section makes it an offense for any person to intentionally insult or intimidate, with the intent to humiliate, a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe in any place within public view. In specific to this case, Kumari’s alleged remarks about SC/ST individuals misusing the Atrocities Act for blackmail and her casteist language during an official program could fall under this section. Since her comments were intended to demean or degrade SC/ST members in a public space, this section may be held to be applicable.

• Section 3(1)(s): This section makes it an offense to abuse or intimidate SC/ST individuals in any public place or within the jurisdiction of a public servant with the intent to humiliate. Herein, the alleged insults directed at Vijay Parmar, a Dalit person, during the public SWAGAT program may be considered a violation of this section, especially if they were intended to demean his status or dignity in a public setting.

• Section 4: This section holds that any public servant who, not fulfilling their duty of protecting SC/ST individuals from atrocities or discrimination, neglects to perform their responsibilities, shall face penalties under the Act. As provided above, Mevani’s claim that Kumari did not adequately address Parmar’s grievances, coupled with her alleged casteist remarks, could be interpreted as a failure to perform her duty as a public servant tasked with ensuring equal and fair treatment for all citizens, including SC/ST individuals.

2. Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 

• Section 196: This section penalises any person who promotes enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and acts prejudicial to maintaining harmony. If Kumari’s alleged remarks were intended to incite prejudice or create enmity against the SC/ST community by labelling them as abusers of the Atrocities Act, this section might apply.

• Section 298: This section criminalises deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs. Though generally used in religious contexts, this provision might be invoked if Kumari’s comments are interpreted as a deliberate insult to SC/ST cultural dignity or social beliefs, although the link is more tenuous.

• Section 356: This section makes it an offense to harm the reputation of a person or group by making defamatory statements. Kumari’s alleged comments may be seen as defaming SC/ST communities, casting them in a negative light by generalising them as blackmailers under the Atrocities Act, which may tarnish their reputation and dignity.
• Section 351: This section punishes intentional insult with the intent to provoke a breach of peace. If Kumari’s alleged comments were perceived as insults with the potential to incite anger or disrupt public order, she could be liable under this section.

3. Service Conduct Rules for Civil Servants

IAS officers are governed by the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, which outline the expected code of conduct for civil servants. Allegations raised against Kumari shows that she was in violation of the following:

• Rule 3: This rule emphasises that every member of the Service should maintain high ethical standards, act with integrity, and avoid any actions that could be interpreted as discriminatory or abusive.

• Rule 3(1)(iii): Specifically mandates that an officer should avoid comments or actions that are discriminatory or create any form of social divide.

In summary, the allegations levelled by MLA Jignesh Mevani against Collector Neha Kumari could potentially trigger multiple legal actions, particularly under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and civil service conduct rules. If proven, her conduct might not only attract criminal penalties but could also result in disciplinary action under service regulations, reinforcing the principle of accountability for public servants in India. However, even getting a FIR registered in her name even after having video proofs seems to be a difficult task at the moment.

Related:

BJP Jharkhand manifesto splashes 23 pictures of Modi, neglects party’s Adivasi faces

The Hasdeo Arand crisis: Tribal protesters face brutal state crackdown while standing against felling of trees

From Slur to Segregation: the language of abusive stigma, sketches concentric circles of rank exclusion for India’s Dalits

The post Suspend Collector Neha Dubey, file cases against her for abusive anti-Dalit remarks under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act: MLA Mevani to President Murmu appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The overhead tank was a storage facility for potable drinking water for the local residents. The 10,000-litre capacity tank had been erected in a colony of the Sangam Viduthi Panchayat in 2014.

In the aftermath of the incident, as per the New Indian Express, the district administration organised a medical camp o at Guruvandan Street in Sangam Viduthi to help residents who reported feeling unwell after consuming contaminated water.

The area, as per reports, is mostly inhabited by members of the Adi Dravidar community. It houses about 35 Dalit families and five higher caste Hindu families. PMK (Pattali Makkal Katchi) Founder Doctor S Ramadoss said the contamination was inhumane. He has also called for urgent action on the issue.

An inspection was conducted by officials who were accompanied by Panchayat President Perumal, when Revenue Inspector Priyadharshini, and VAO Subha, Commissioner Periyasamy inspected the water source and confirmed the presence of cow dung. An investigation is to follow as the Commissioner had reportedly instructed officials to gather water samples for testing and initiate an investigation into the incident.

Assuring the local residents, the commissioner has promised strict action against those responsible for the contamination. Subsequently, as per reports there have been arrangements made to supply water from a neighbouring village’s reservoir to supply the   affected communities with drinking water after the water tank was cleaned with bleach and not permitted to be used for storing drinking water.

As per The Hindu, senior medical official Aranthangi Depuy Director of Health Namasivayam had also visited the colony after the incident. According to a Times of India report, the village vice-president Shanthi Karthikeyan has urged the authorities to arrest the culprit at the soonest.

The incident is similar to the horrifying incident from December 2022 when the drinking water of local Dalit residents was contaminated with human faeces in Vengaiyvayal village of Tamil Nadu. The issue was discovered only after three children were hospitalised after they had drunk the contaminated water. The incident has rocked the state, with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin even commenting that the fact that the incident took place points toward the persistence of caste discrimination and untouchability in some pockets of society.

Untouchability seems to be firmly entrenched within society across India. Recently, Sabrang India covered how a Dalit boy from Rajasthan was beaten and his family was verbally abused after he accidentally touched the bucket of an upper caste man when he tried to go drink water from a hand pump. Thereby the question of purity and pollution continues to persist despite the legal abolition of untouchability in 1955. This notion of purity and pollution thereby continues to be a source of violence to the Dalits and also serves to prevent their access to basic amenities. For instance, Karnataka recently witnessed reports of Dalit residents of a colony asserting that they were denied water by the village administrators due to their caste.

Related:

Violence against Dalits continues as India gears for democratic festivities

Absent in Elections 2024: Dalits and the historic battle for land

Sexual assault at BHU: Dalit student alleged abuse, assault and attempts of forced sex against another student in hostel

Telangana: Christian cemetery attacked a week after Dalit Churchgoers were attacked

The post Cow dung dumped in potable water tank used by Dalit residents appeared first on SabrangIndia.

According to The Mooknayak, Arti Harle, a Dalit woman scientist employed at the CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) in Pune, has come forward with disturbing claims of caste-based discrimination, mental harassment, and financial distress. She spoke of it in an Instagram reel where Hatle was seen reportedly contemplating a fast unto death. Harle asserts that her merit-based promotion has also been unjustly withheld since 2014. Furthermore, she has said that her salary was unlawfully halted in November 2020, which ended up plunging her into a severe financial crisis and also left her homeless as she was forced to vacate her quarters.

Harle spoke to The Mooknayak, saying that she began her career at the Institute of Microbial Technology in Chandigarh and that caste discrimination has been a norm for her. She has faced caste discrimination, molestation, and various forms of harassment. She had been hoping for a fresh start following which she transferred to the National Chemical Laboratory in Pune, only to encounter a continuation of similar discriminatory practices.

Harle outlined a systematic denial of access to essential resources such as basic infrastructure, scientific instruments, and chemicals required for her scientific work at NCL. Furthermore, she shared her experience of facing untouchability at the institute. She was officially appointed for the maintenance of the Electron Microscope Facility, but despite holding the position, she was denied from entering the facility.

Furthermore, she revealed a harrowing experience of physical violence. In 2016, a colleague attempted to physically harm her in May 2016, within the NCL campus. Despite the gravity of the situation, she has shared in the report, the director, Dr. Ashwini Nangia, reportedly refused to involve the police, and to date, no FIR has been filed.

This is not an isolated incident. India routinely witnesses several incidents of violence and discrimination in workplaces and research institutes against Dalits. In August 2023, a Dalit assistant professor at Banaras Hindu University came forward against two fellow assistant professors and two students, alleging incidents of assault, molestation, and humiliation. After the complaint an FIR was filed in Varanasi on August 27, marking a delayed response of over three months since the purported incident. The complainant asserted that the police initiated the case only after she reached out to the Human Resource and Development Ministry, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Commission, and the Chief Minister’s Office.

Similarly, a PhD holder from Osmania University in Hyderabad has been protesting for more than 50 consecutive days. Dr. J Padmaja has been fighting for employment, justice, and an end to discrimination since early November 2023, she has maintained a protest at the entrance of the university in Hyderabad, Telangana. She has also stated that the university’s Vice-Chancellor Prof D Ravinder Rao and the OU Teachers’ Association are perpetrating caste and gender discrimination. Dr Padmaja earned a PhD in chemistry in 2013. Her allegations extend beyond the recent job interview, asserting that discrimination based on her caste and gender has plagued her since her admission to the university for her PhD. Recounting her experiences, Dr. Padmaja asserts, “From the very beginning, both the administration and teaching staff subjected me to harassment rooted in my caste and gender.”

Her grievances include facing casteist remarks and sexual harassment from her PhD supervisor, retired professor Anjaneyalu, and the then VC of Osmania University, S Satyanarayana. In 2013, when she attempted to file a police complaint against the duo for ongoing harassment, her complaint was rejected by the police. However, the situation only got worse for her there onwards. She spoke to Edex Live stating, “All these actions are a conspiracy to harass and punish me; to stop me from getting what is rightfully mine. Just because I am an SC woman, they are brazenly attacking me.”

These struggles and words by Dalit scholars and teachers belie the existing situation which seems bleak. The existing statistics show dismal figures of Dalits in academic fields. While, focus is given to the number of students, how the workplace for these students will be when they leave these institutes is oft ignored. For instance, according to a report by UnDark, in 2019, the enrolment of Dalit researchers in doctoral programs at the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology varied from 6 percent at IIT Delhi to 14 percent at IIT Kharagpur. The Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru saw 12% of researchers admitted to PhD programmes who identified as Dalits. When examining data from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, a major government research institution, only 12 out of 33 laboratories met the 15% Dalit admission threshold.

These statistics are even more alarming when looking at the representation of Dalits among senior academics. According to the UnDark report, in 2020, IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi had no Dalit professors, contrasting sharply with 324 and 218 professors, respectively, in the General Category, which encompasses upper-caste Hindus and some members of religious minorities. IISc had two Dalit and 205 General Categories for the post of professors in 2020, with none of the department heads being Dalit. Additionally, the report stated that five out of the seven science schools at Jawaharlal Nehru University did not have a single Dalit professor.

Related:

Within hours of police mediating her return home, young woman from Tamil Nadu ‘killed by family for marrying Dalit man’

Uttar Pradesh, Bihar: Outrage erupts as policemen commit heinous crimes against Dalits

9-year-old Dalit girl raped and murdered in Ghaziabad by 52-year-old landlord

The post Dalit scientist at top science institute threatens fast unto death after harassment appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Karnataka farmers, workers have called for a state-wide bandh on September 28 to condemn the “anti-farmer, anti-worker and anti-Dalit-oppressed policies of Central and state governments.”

While farmers all over the country agitate against the three agriculture Bills forcefully passed by the Centre, Karnataka peasants fight an additional battle against the state amendments to the APMC and land reform Acts. To show their dissent, farmers, workers and Dalits intend to protest from 6 AM to 6 PM on Monday.

“All the people of Karnataka are requested to express their solidarity to it [bandh] by observing the bandh in every village, town and city in order to protect the livelihoods of the working population of the state,” said multiple marginalised organisations in a leaflet.

As per the document, the people fear the handing over of agricultural land to the rich. They alleged that Yediyurappa’s government is following the policy of “all land for the rich” instead of the “land for the tiller” policy. Other concerns to be raised during the bandh are the loss of farmers’ produce in the corporate network; corporate bondage; workers’ enslavement; privatisation of electricity; commercialisation of education and the imposition of Hindi.

“Instead of streamlining APMC, the existing minimum protections are being removed, and corporate markets are being allowed,” said the leaflet.

The organisations warned that these changes in policies would rob Dalits and the oppressed off of the few rights they have and contribute to the decline of the agriculture state of India.

Eager to have the oppressed voices heard, the organisers appealed to the citizens to join the bandh and unanimously condemn the “anti-farmer, anti-worker, anti-Dalit, anti-oppressed, anti-student and anti-youth policies.”

Related:

Farm Bills are an attempt to snatch away the right to food: Sujan Chakraborty
Four states gear up to resist ‘anti-farmer’ bills
Reduce essential service cost, unburden the poor: Swaraj India
K’taka farmers demand better policies and prices

The post Karnataka Bandh against ‘anti-farmer, anti-worker and anti-Dalit-oppressed’ policies appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Goebbels was an interesting and effective man. Held responsible for many of the worst and most supremacist and violent ideas that guided Fuhrer Hitler’s reign, he is recalled in history, more as a frequently used adjective-term, to connote a particular kind of pernicious government propaganda based on lies, or at best half-truths (he headed the Propaganda Ministry of the Nazi government).

The broader issues raised in the speech by the Union Minister for Human Resources Development (MHRD) have already been effectively countered in The Telegraph : A [1]Fact Check on what HRD minister Smruti Irani said in Parliament [2] including countering systematic efforts at vilification and name calling.[3]

Here we put some Questions countering the Goebbelsian untruths surrounding the institutional murder of Rohith Vemula

Did or did not the central minister of the BJP, Bandaru Dattatreya write to Irani on August 17, 2015, a letter in which he clearly calls the activities and vision of the Ambedkar Students Association (ASA) as casteist and anti-national?  Letter can be seen here.

Was or was not Rohith Vemula’s Research Fellowship stopped (illegally) for seven months severely constraining and humiliating him?

Did or did not, on five occasions, bureaucrats of the MHRD under Irani write directly to the Vice Chancellor (VC) Hyderabad Central University (HCU) on the matter showing an unseemly interest in the case ?

(The letters are dated September 3, 2015 from the Under Secretary referring to comments by Bandaru Dattatreya, MOS, for Labour and Employment; another dated September 24, 2015, sent as reminder, signed by Deputy Secretary to the GOI; letter dated October 20, 2015, signed by Joint Secretary, MHRD; letter dated November 19, 2015, signed by Under Secretary to the GOI). Letters can be seen here.

Do or do not these letters show an obsessive interest by the Minister, MHRD that was, in effect, putting extraordinary pressure on the VC?

Is it or is it not true that a fellow student at HCU called the Health Centre immediately after learning of Rohith being hanged and within five minutes the CMO Health Centre, Dr P Rajashree reached the spot, felt his pulse and declared him dead nullifying the Goebellian lie to the nation in Parliament that no doctor or police were allowed to see Rohith till the next day? 
[The doctor certified Rohith’s death at 7.30 pm: UoH medical officer counters Smriti Irani’s statement – http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/doctor-certified-rohiths-death-730-pm-uoh-medical-officer-counters-smriti-iranis-statement#sthash.tdp9MlM4.dpuf]

Is it not true that Rohith Vemula was quietly cremated without family or friends as the authorities did not want to face up to the palpable anger on campus and outside?
 
Did or did not the newly appointed Vice Chancellor, Appa Rao receive a chilling letter from Rohith Vemula on December 18, 2015 –a month before his death –that clearly indicated a warning: that by the systematic exclusion and humiliation Rohith was being pushed, and reaching, the end of his tether?

[Rohith allegedly sarcastically said in the letter that every VC of HCU should “10 mg of sodium azide to all the Dalit students at the time of admission… [and] a nice rope to the rooms of all Dalit students.” This handwritten letter should have been read as a precursor to what was coming. In the letter, Rohith allegedly goes on to say, “I request your highness to make preparations for the facility [of] ‘euthanasia’ for students like me. And I wish you and the campus rest in peace forever.” ]

Does or does this communication not squarely put the blame on the university authorities and, first and foremost, on the vice chancellor ?
[The letter traces the officially sanctioned “social boycott” of Dalit students after they took on a member of the ABVP for making derogatory remarks about Dalits. “Donald Trump will be a lilliput in front of you..”]

Did or does the VC feel at all disturbed by this communication? Does the GOI? Was there any communication between the VC, HCU authorities and Rohith and the other four research scholars between December 18, 2015 and January 17, 2016?

Were or were not the five Dalit Research scholars locked out of their rooms from January 4, 2016 onwards, compelling them to start a protest and sleep out, on the street, rubbing salt on wounds so to speak: since their research fellowship stipends had been illegally cut off from July 2015 onwards?

Were or were not the five Dalit scholars ostracised on campus and asked not even to visit the library for research, further humiliating them?

Is it or is it not true that senior functionaries of the GOI, including two central ministers (both women) have questioned the authenticity of Dalit identity of Rohith? link[4] (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rohith-Vemula-was-not-a-dalit-Sushma-Swaraj-says/articleshow/50788780.cms)

After January 17, 2016 and the tragic step that Rohith Vemula took, did or did not the GOI appoint Ajit Duval, National security Advisor the Task to investigate the real caste of Rohith Vemula?  (See Certificates)
[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ajit-Doval-gets-report-saying-Rohith-Vemula-was-not-a-dalit/articleshow/50749810.cms; also see http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/was-rohith-vemula-dalit-or-not-and-does-it-matter-explained-37936]

Did the trail not begin politically: with the Vice President, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Hyderabad,  Nandanam Diwakar writing to Central minister Dattareya, (August 10, 2015), seven days before the latter writes to Irani, a letter in which wrong and exaggerated accounts of ABVP student, Susheel Kumar’s injuries are given as well as a litany of political opposition to Ambedkarites listed? Here is the letter.

Is it not true that the claim that the University’s Investigation Team had a Dalit is untrue (Irani’s claim); there were no Dalits in the team and it was in fact headed by a Brahmin?

Is it or is it not true that all claims that ABVP student leader, Susheel Kumar “was beaten up by Rohith”, made repeatedly are actually, are untrue; HCU registrar and others have rejected Susheel Kumar’s story on violence relying on medical reports show that he was admitted to hospital for appendicitis?

 Is it not true that the executive council of HCU only decided to suspend the students, that too from their hostels (Irani said they were expelled by the EC!) and that the trigger was a falsified account of a physical struggle between the RSS-affiliated ABVP and the ASA; with the former screaming “assault” and the hospital records suggesting an examination for a prior medical condition?

While Irani was giving what some have termed as a star performance in the Lok Sabha– even India’s prime minister tweeted his jubiliation at her speech– Rohith Vemula’s mother, Radhika, was at a candlelight vigil at India Gate demanding justice for her  26-year-old son. Radhika Vemula was picked up and taken to a police station in the heart of the capital when Smriti Irani was telling Parliament how condemnable it was that a “child was being used as a political tool”.

Close to a month before, in a similar act the MHRD minister, Irani had, in a press conference, claimed that Rohith’s death had nothing to do with his being a Dalit.

Then Radhika Vemula had countered and I today recall those words, “I want to meet Smriti Irani and ask her ‘On what basis did you declare my son to be anti-national? Your Ministry had written that my Rohith and other Dalit students were anti-national extremists. You said that he is not a Dalit. You accused him of getting a false certificate. Should I say it is because you got false certificates for your educational qualifications that you think others do so too? You stopped my son’s stipend, you got him suspended from the university. You are the Minister for HRD, but you have no value for education. You can never understand how difficult it is for a Dalit to reach the stage of doing his PhD. You can never imagine the hardship, the struggle, the tears and sacrifice to reach that position. In three months, you destroyed what it had taken me 26 years to build. I am talking about my Rohith, he died at the age of 26.'”

Goebbelsian as the propaganda machine is, I do not really expect answers. There are two parallel streams at work here, one asserting, the other challenging the Indian Constitution. The war between truth, reality and propaganda is well and truly on.
 

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On Monday, the district administration had claimed that the outfit had assured it would not hold the ‘mahapanchayat’ on Wednesday, adding that they had still made security arrangements. The Bijnor police on May 30 arrested five members of a Dalit organisation called the ‘Abhass Mahasangh Mission 24 carat’, which had called for a ‘mahapanchayat’ at Numaish ground in Bijnor city on Wednesday.The ‘mahapanchayat’ was scheduled to be held to raise the issue of “atrocities on Dalits” following the recent caste violence in Saharanpur.

Two days ago, the district administration had claimed that the outfit had assured it would not hold the ‘mahapanchayat’ on Wednesday, adding that they had still made security arrangements. Prem Veer Singh Rana, SHO of City Kotwali
police station, told the media, “All five persons were produced in court which sent them to judicial custody. They were arrested while they were going to the ground where the mahapanchayat was scheduled to be organised today.”

 The arrested include the outfit’s national president Lal Singh Bhumewalkar, general secretary Arvind Kumar and three other members, Joginder, Sominder and Gaminder. The five had been named in an FIR registered under IPC section 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of race and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony).

The Bijnor police had earlier lodged this FIR against nine office-bearers of the organisation, claiming that the pamphlets distributed by the Abhass Mahasangh giving a call for the ‘mahapanchayat’ contained statements against a particular caste and mentioned that Dalits were attacked and their houses set ablaze in the May 5 violence. According to the police, the pamphlets also alleged that police were not taking strict action following which Dalits were forced to leave their villages.

Ashu Kumar, a member of the organisation, said, “We had assured police and administration of Bijnor that mahapanchayat will not be held on Tuesday. Police still arrested five members of the organisation. No mahapanchayat was organised.”
 
 

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होशियारपुर लोकसभा सीट के तहत आते फगवाड़ा विधानसभा क्षेत्र में सोम प्रकाश तथा विजय सांपला के बीच गुटबाजी किसी से छुपी नहीं है। जानकारी के अनुसार मंगलवार को विजय संकल्प यात्रा के दौरान भी दोनों गुटों की तरफ से एक-दूसरे पर खूब हमले किए गए। 
 
सवाल यह पैदा हो रहा है कि भाजपा के एक दलित नेता जो वहां पर विधायक हैं, को साथ लेकर चलने की बजाय उनको उत्साहित किया जा रहा है जो फिलहाल न तो विधायक हैं और न ही पार्टी की तरफ से उन्हें उम्मीदवारी दी गई है। प्रदेश भाजपा की गलत नीतियों के कारण फगवाड़ा सीट पर दलित बनाम दलित वाली स्थिति पैदा हो रही है जोकि पार्टी के लिए नुकसानदायक साबित हो सकती है।
 

भगत चूनी लाल पंजाब में कैबिनेट मंत्री हैं तथा वह पिछले विधानसभा चुनाव में जालंधर जिले में भाजपा के नेताओं में सबसे अच्छे मार्जिन से जीते हैं। इस सीट पर भी विजय सांपला तथा भगत चूनी लाल के बीच तकरार रहती है। यही कारण है कि सांपला चाहते हैं कि इस सीट पर उनके किसी अपने खासमखास को टिकट मिल जाए। 
 
इस सीट पर भी सांपला के करीबी कुछ लोगों ने उम्मीदवारी का दावा कर रखा है। बात दावे तक होती तो ठीक थी लेकिन जिस तरह की बातें भाजपा के वृद्ध नेता भगत चूनी लाल के बारे में की जा रही हैं उससे यह बात साफ है कि भाजपा पंजाब में दलित वर्ग को एकजुट रखने में असफल रही है तथा भाजपा का दलित वोट बैंक दलित नेताओं की गलतियों के कारण तार-तार हो रहा है। कुल मिलाकर दलित नेताओं को हराने के लिए दलित नेताओं को ही मैदान में उतारा जा रहा है।
 
पंजाब में दलित वर्ग की 5 सीटों में से तीसरी भोआ सीट पर भी दलित समुदाय में खींचतान पैदा की जा चुकी है। यहां से विधायक सीमा देवी की टिकट कटवाने के लिए राज्य के सत्तासीन दलित नेता के करीबी खींचतान कर रहे हैं। मैदान में कई अन्य लोगों को उतार कर उनके माध्यम से सीमा देवी की टिकट काटने का प्रयास किया जा रहा है। ऊपर से दिलचस्प बात यह है कि जिस प्रकार अपने ही विधायक के खिलाफ कुछ भाजपा के दलित नेता प्रचार कर हे हैं, उससे यह बात साफ है कि टिकट जिसे भी मिले पर जीत हासिल करना आसान नहीं होगा।

Courtesy: National Dastak
 

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