A POCSO court in Bikaner, Rajasthan has convicted all accused persons in the horrific rape of a 17-year-old Dalit girl, who was found dead at her hostel in Nokha, Bikaner in Rajasthan. The main accused Vijendra Singh (physical trainer in the institute), has been awarded the life sentence and the warden Pragya Shukla and the Principal, Priya Prateek Shukla of the Jain Adarsh Teacher Training Institute for girls have been imprisoned for 6 years.

Vijendra was already in judicial custody, and has been convicted of sections 305 (abetment of suicide of a child) 363 (punishment for kidnapping), 366 (Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage, etc.), 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code, sections 5 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) and 6 (punishment of aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. He has also been convicted under the relevant sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 2012.

The warden, Pragya Shukla and the Principal, Priya Prateek Shukla (who are out on bail) have been held guilty of abetment of suicide and relevant sections of the POCSO and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The victim’s counsel, Bajrang Chhimpa, told SabrangIndia that the defense team tried to persuade the court to award less sentence time but he was convinced that the court would bring them to justice. He added, “There were about 34 witnesses that were examined. This hearing has taken 5 years, 6 months and 12 days.”

Background of the case

The 17-year-old Dalit girl, who was studying to be a teacher, was raped and murdered in 2016. On the morning of March 29, her body was found in the water tank of her hostel under suspicious conditions. The Nokha police officials took her body in a municipal garbage carrying vehicle (tractor) without video-graphing it.

As per the FIR filed by her parents, there were only four girls at the hostel, as all the other girls had gone home. A day before, on the evening of March 28, at 8 P.M, she had called her father and told him that her warden, Priya Shukla, had sent her to the trainer Vijendra Singh’s room, with the excuse of cleaning the hostel.

The victim’s family members had submitted a complaint to the police accusing the teacher Vijendra Singh of raping her, killing her and then discarding her body in the water tank. Thereafter, the story of the suicide was concocted in a bid to mislead the administration.

The investigating officer, Satnam Singh had alleged that they found that on the night of March 28, 2016, at around 2 A.M, the victim was found to be in Vijendra’s room. Both had admitted to their ‘mistake’ and had also written an ‘apology.’ The IO also said that the knowledge of their relationship had come to light 2 to 3 months before her death. The IO said that we are trying to get details of this from the mobile phones. 

As per a SabrangIndia report, investigation was conducted on April 1, 2016 by a Rajasthan based Fact Finding Team of the National Human Rights Organisation (NHRO) that concluded that the victim had not died by suicide. Their findings were:

1. If after the March 28, 2016 incident, Priya Shukla, her husband and other staff members had — instead of shrouding it in secrecy (and only believing the PT Teacher Vijendra Singh’s version) immediately informed responsible persons from institution and the police, a death could have been avoided.

2. The allocation of a room for a male PT Teacher within a Girls Hostel is a grave act of irresponsibility on the part of the administration and management.

3. On March 29, 2016 at about 7 A.M when the victim’s absence was intimated to Priya Shukla for the second time, her duties as a hostel warden required that she should have immediately informed responsible authorities of the institution, including the principal. Her not doing so raises serious questions and raises grave suspicion(s).

4. The water tank in which the deceased was found dead has a depth of six feet. Significantly, the tank is fully covered; only a 1.5-foot X 1.5-foot hole exists which has a lid on top.  The lid has a hole for a lock and an old lock was seen by the team on the lid. But it was not locked. Not locking the tank is an act of grave responsibility on the part of the warden, principal and chairman of the institution.

5. From the size of the opening on the tank, it is highly unlikely that a healthy young woman of 5 foot four could have entered inside at all.

6. The fact that the police did not record the recovery of the body through videography deepens suspicions. Neither was a panchnama of the body performed.

7. After the body was removed, press reporter Pavan Kumar himself took photos of the body. There were injuries on the body and blood was oozing out of one ear. Bleeding from the ear in a death supposedly caused by drowning does not add up and further raises questions and suspicions.

8. The victim was from a poor Dalit family who had no political backing and support. There is every chance that the authorities and chairman of the Jain Adarsh Vidyalaya will use clout and other means to ensure that the case does not read fruition and justice is not delivered.

Related:

Delta Meghwal’s Death: Role of Warden and Others Suspicious
The Real Story Behind the Rape and Killing of Dalit Girl Student, Delta Meghwal

The post Bikaner hostel rape case: Rajasthan court awards life sentence to main accused, convicts two others appeared first on SabrangIndia.

 
इस मामले में कई चौकाने वाले तथ्य सामने आये थे। जैन आदर्श कन्या शिक्षक प्रशिक्षण संस्थान के छात्रावास में बीएसटीसी द्रितीय वर्ष की होनहार छात्रा कुमारी डेल्टा ने सुसाइड नहीं किया था बल्कि उसके साथ पहले कॉलेज के पीटीआई ने बलात्कार किया और उसके बाद उसको मार कर कुण्डी में डाला गया है। मृतका डेल्टा के परिजनों के मुताबिक डेल्टा मेघवाल बीकानेर के नोखा स्थित जैन आदर्श कन्या शिक्षक प्रशिक्षण संस्थान के छात्रावास में बीएसटीसी द्रितीय वर्ष की छात्रा थी और होली के त्यौहार पर बीकानेर से बाड़मेर अपने पैतृक गांव आई थी।
 
होली का त्यौहार परिवार के साथ बिताने के बाद 27 मार्च को वापस अपने पिता के साथ बीकानेर रवाना हुई और बीकानेर पहुंचने के बाद रात अपने पिता के साथ रेलवे प्लेटफॉर्म पर बिताई और 28 मार्च को कुमारी डेल्टा को उसके पिता छात्रावास में छोड़कर वापस बाड़मेर रवाना हो गए थे। लेकिन बदकिस्मती से डेल्टा के पिता जैसे ही बीकानेर से वापस बाड़मेर अपने गांव पहुंचे तो उनके पास कुमारी डेल्टा का फोन आया की मुझे मेरी जान को खतरा है और मुझे बचा लो इस तरह की बात अपनी बेटी की जुबान से सुनने के बाद डेल्टा के पिता कुछ सम्भल पाते उससे पहले सुचना आ गई की उसकी बेटी की मौत हो गई है और उसका शव टांके में मिला है। कुमारी डेल्टा के पिता का आरोप है की उनके बीकानेर पहुँचने से पहले छात्रावास प्रशासन ने उसकी बेटी की लाश को मृत पशु ढोने वाले ट्रैक्टर में डाल कर मोर्चरी तक लाया गया।
 
राजस्थान की मुख़्यमंत्री वसुंधरा राजे डेल्टा मेघवाल की प्रतिभा की कायल थी-
अब इस दुनिया से अलविदा हो चुकी कुमारी डेल्टा मेघवाल इतनी होनहार थी की उसकी पेंटिंग की हुई रेगिस्तान के जहाज शीर्षक तस्वीर को मुख्यमंत्री ने अपने कार्यालय में भी लगाया था और बाकायदा मुख्य्मंत्री वसुंधरा राजे ने कुमारी डेल्टा को पत्र लिखकर पेंटिंग की सराहना की थी और जिला स्तर पर भी सम्मानित करवाया था। इतना ही नहीं कुमारी डेल्टा के हुनर को देखते हुए कई बार उपखण्ड मुख्यालय पर भी प्रशासन सम्मानित कर चुका है। कुमारी डेल्टा के पिता के अनुसार वो एक शिक्षक है उसके चलते हुए कुमारी डेल्टा को गांव से दूर कर पढ़ने के लिए भेजा था लेकिन जब यह घटना घटित हुई है उसके बाद कुमारी डेल्टा के पिता का कहना है की कोई भी बाप अपनी बेटी को दसवीं से आगे नहीं पढ़ाए क्योंकि बेटियां अब सुरक्षित नहीं है।
 

 
कुमारी डेल्टा मेघवाल की मौत के मामले में पुलिस ने पीटीआई विजेन्द्र सिंह को पहले ही गिरफ्तार कर लिया था वहीं हॉस्टल वार्डन प्रिया शुक्ला को भी पुलिस ने गिरफ्तार किया है। मामले में मृतका के परिजनों द्वारा दी गई रिपोर्ट में पीटीआई विजेन्द्र सिंह, छात्रावास की वार्डन प्रिया शुक्ला, संचालक ईश्वर चंद्र वैद को दोषी ठहराया गया था क्योकि इन्होंने मिलकर ही महिलाओं की छात्रावास में पुरुष पीटीआई को कमरा दे रखा था जो नियमों के खिलाफ है।

 

 
इतना ही नहीं इस मामले में मृतका के पिता के अनुसार छात्रावास में केवल चार छात्राएं थी जिसका फायदा उठाते हुए छात्रावास की वार्डन प्रिया शुक्ला ने कुमारी डेल्टा को पीटीआई विजेंद्रसिंह के कमरे में सफाई करने के लिए भेजा और उसके बाद वार्डन के सहयोग से कुमारी डेल्टा को हवस का शिकार बनाया गया और विरोध करने पर उसकी हत्या की गई है।

 

 
फिलवक्त मामला न्यायालय में लंबित है आरोपियों पर आईपीसी (भारतीय दंड संहिता) की धारा 395, धारा 5 और POCSO (यौन अपराध से बच्चों का संरक्षण अधिनियम) के 6 और धारा 110 और अनुसूचित जाति के 6/अनुसूचित जनजाति (पीओए) अधिनियम के तहत मामला दर्ज किया गया था। पिता महेन्द्र मेघवाल मुक़दमे की बात करते हुए फफक पड़ते हैं, कहते हैं मैं बेटी को आत्मनिर्भर बनाना चाहता था। बहुत सारे सपने थे बेटी के लेकर सब टूट गए। डेल्टा अब फाइल  में रखे पन्नो में तब्दील हो गयी है जो इस टेबल से उस टेबल न्याय की उम्मीद में दौड़ रही है।

Courtesy: Janta Ka Reporter
 

The post न्याय की उम्मीद छोड़ चुके हैं बलात्कार पीड़िता डेल्टा मेघवाल के पिता appeared first on SabrangIndia.

It started almost the same way with Jisha. A 30-year-old Dalit woman, brutalised in a sickeningly sensational way, raped and killed, in Kerala on April 28 – a month after Delta was found dead.

Only on May 3 did the national media pick up and run the story. NDTV India’s Ravish Kumar in his inimitable style raised questions about the media’s role in his nightly telecast last night (May 4).

By the afternoon of May 5, the gruesome story could no longer be ignored. And, now it is sure to make front page news. At 12.24 p.m. on May 5, NDTV India reported that PM Modi will visit the mother of Jisha on May 11. It is election season in Kerala and the news that the “jumlebaaz” PM will fly down south to condole with Jisha’s inconsolable and seriously unwell mother who has been hospitalised will surely capture the news moment. And the nation will wait with bated breath for the outcome of what will be a much-publicised visit. Television cameras and journos caught napping when the incident first came to light will wake up, make up with much overdue coverage, now.

Sorry Delta. It was not election season in Rajasthan when you were allegedly traumatised by your PT teacher, raped before being cruelly done away with it. The school authorities did not see fit to even wait for your parents before the post-mortem was done. There is still a deathly silence on the incident: its fallout and investigation. Sorry, Delta, that your dreams to teach and share knowledge creatively were not to be.Your teacher tells us that your lesson plans were exceptional and you would have made a wonderful teacher. But sorry again, Delta, a nation that dreams of ‘Skill India’ has little value for the teacher, or the student. Sorry, Delta, also that you were born – and died — in the wrong state at the wrong time. In BJP ruled Rajasthan at a time when elections are far away.

The prime minister had also flew down to the southern-most tip of India when an awful temple fire broke out weeks ago. It took a bold director general of police to say that Modi, and Rahul Gandhi’s visit,  hampered, not helped the emergency relief efforts.

Modi did not however drive down to Sunpedh village in Haryana where two young Dalit children – one just a baby – were burnt down allegedly by Rajputs on October 23, 2015. Just seven months ago. The distance of Sunpedh from the national capital could not have been the issue; it is barely 35 kilometres from the national capital, no big deal for the globe-trotting PM. Two days after upper caste Rajputs allegedly set fire to the home of a Dalit family in Sunpedh, killing two young children aged two years and nine months (Vaibhav and Divya) sleeping within, the minister of state for external affairs made remarks that invited widespread condemnation. The minister who was in Ghaziabad at the time was quoted by The Indian Express on October 23 as saying, “ “To harc heez par, koi wahan par pathar maar de ya kutte ko to, sarkar jimmewaar hai? Aisa nahi hai. (For everything…like if somebody throws a stone at a vehiclw or a dog, then the Central Government is responsible? …it is not like that)”. The allegorical reference to a dog, demeaning when two young children had been brutally killed, though much criticised, drew no response from the prime minister. That Haryana is also a BJP ruled state and there were no elections due there either, may not be a coincidence.

The list of pregnant silences and selective condolences can be quite long even though this government has been in power only for 23 months: since May 2014. It could make an interesting calendar depicting the ‘Ayes’ for when it was politically expedient for the PM to visit and condole, and ‘Nayes’ for when it was prudent to remain silent and look, literally, the other way.

Radhika Vemula will not ever have Modi or Irani’s shoulder to cry on, especially since she, as her son Rohith Vemula, is a vocal critique of the Sangh. She has now converted with her surviving son, Rajah, to Buddhism.

The Mohsin Shaikh, the Mohammed Akhlaq,the Mazloom Ansari and Imtiyaz Khan killings. Perhaps I need not even mention them here as their birth, names and community are not those that Modi or the Sangh in any way concern themselves with. Mohsin was lynched to death in Pune on June 2, 2014, within days of Modi’s swearing in ceremony. Akhlaq was lynched to death in Dadri by those riding high on the ‘Save Gau Mata, Hate Beef Eaters' campaign. Speaking on the ghastly incident on October 14 to the Anand Bazar Patrika Modi had said, “The incident is sad, but what is the Centre’s role?”. What we wonder is the Centre’s role in Jisha’s brutal rape and murder in Kerala?

The sight of Mazloom and Imtiyaz hanging from a tree in Latehar, Jharkand – again a story that the national media chose to gloss over – should have made any civilised ‘nation’ cringe in shame. Shame and decency are not emotions that go down well with the bullish sangh regime.

Mohsin in Pune, Mohammad Akhlaq in Dadri, Mazloom and Imtiyaz in Latehar — they have all, in the language and politics of the sangh parivar — been born in the wrong homes, to the wrong families, in the wrong faith. So why waste tears on them?

Rewind to six years back, 2008, Mumbai. Hemant Karkare was shot dead by terrorists from Pakistan on November 26, 2008, Mumbai’s 9/11. The siege was still on, Mumbai shocked and traumatised, television cameras still trained on the Taj and Trident hotels. Modi, who was then the chief minister of Gujarat – having won a second term — had flown down from Gandhinagar, and was spotted outside the Trident in South Mumbai.

He was actually booed by grief-stricken relatives and Mumbaikars, who had no use for his posturing. Undeterred, he had driven down to central Mumbai to Karkare’s residence to condole with his widow, Kavita Karkare. Grief-stricken, she had first refused to even see him. Later, as she sat stiff and uncomfortable in his presence, Modi condoled in the way he knew best. He announced Rs 1 crore as ‘compensation’ to the family of Karkare and other police officers killed in the attack. Kavita Karkare firmly, and immediately turned down the ‘offer’.

India Today had then reported: “Modi along with other leaders of the BJP, including prime ministerial candidate, LK Advani and others from the Shiv Sena have been baying for Karkare’s blood post the Malegaon investigations into the allegations of terrorist activities by the saffron brigade.”

Self-respect and dignity have no price, Mr Prime Minister. And condolences, if they are selective and self-serving, really of no value.

The post PM to Meet Jisha’s Mother in Kerala: Sorry, Delta, There Were No Elections in Rajasthan appeared first on SabrangIndia.

 
Silence of the ‘national media’ around the death of Kerala student, Jisha, who was beaten savagely, sexually assaulted, similar to the Delhi bus gang rape, as revealed by the post-mortem raises serious questions about media priorities and ethics

Sabrangindia had raised the issue of selective prioritization of such crimes  even related to the  mysterious death (after alleged rape) of Delta Meghwal a 17-year old Dalit student in Rajasthan

 
The post-mortem report on the death of Jisha, the 29-year-old student who was found dead at her house near Perumbavoor in Kerala on April 28, reveals that she was brutally and sexually assaulted before she died, similar to the infamous 2012 Delhi gang-rape.

According to the latest report by Malayalam newspaper, Mathrubhumi,  Jisha was beaten savagely by a stranger/s using a sharp weapon that pulled out her intestines. More than 30 injuries were found on her body. As per the autopsy report, two sides of her chest were pierced to almost two inches deep using a sharp knife. She was also struck in the genitals with an iron rod. A severe injury on her head is cited as the main reason of her death. The post-mortem report will be handed over to the police officials on Tuesday.

The investigators have remained clueless even one week after the brutal incident, which is being called as the Nirbhaya case of Kerala. The hashtag #JusticeforJisha has been trending on Facebook and many social media users have been requesting the police and the government to take proper measures to find the person, who brutally killed the student.

Jisha, a law student, was found dead by her mother Rajeswari at their house in Rayamangalam panchayat on Thursday night after she returned from her daily work. The deceased is survived by her married sister and her father, who has been living separately from the family for years.

Here are some of the comments from social media:

Vibin Thomas                                 
!!!!!!!SHAME KERALA ####…..One law student named jisha is brutally rapped and killed by a stranger at its own house at perumbavoor… Its day five after that incident…no one arrested till now…..no politicians, medias, or woman activities s there for help..only her mother was live along with jisha….jisha s harmed by sharp tools… I think its like delhi case..may be larger than that….

Pratheesh Pc
Feeling so sad to hear about Jisha brutal rape murder happened in Perumbavoor, Kerala… Wish police and authorities take proper and bring justice to us…

Anil Kumar
No excuses for rapists, hang them on the spot…# justice for jishaperumbavoor.

Remesh Nair 
A dalit girl Jisha(Law student in Kerala) was brutally raped & killed in way Kerala hv never seen. No party is interested in it.#KeralaNirbhaya
Local news channel on the incident https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBBteg8vyLY

The post Dalit Women Student Brutalised Before Murder: Kerala appeared first on SabrangIndia.

“I want justice for my daughter Delta. There should be an immediate stoppage to blatant attempts at character assassination.” A detailed factfinding report was released in Jaipur today at the Vinoba Nyan Mandir, Jaipur. Among the groups that have been part of the fact finding are All India Dalit Mahila Adhikar Manch, Akhil Bharatiya Janwadi Mahila Samiti, Natuonal Federation of Indian Women, PUCL-Rajasthan. These were the Organisations who also addressed the press conference and released the report.

Sabrangindia had been among the first to raise the issue of the rape and deat5h, in mysterious circumstances of delta Meghwal on Sunday, April 4 The Real Story Behind the Rape and Killing of Dalit Girl Student, Delta Meghwal . Another fact-finding report had also been released earlier.

Demands that were made today:
 
1.  Section 302 should be applied to the FIR and investigation and should not be removed until the complete investigation is over including the question of ‘drowning’ in the tank of its size.

2. An independent investigation be ordered by the CBI.

3. The security of other girls studying in the same institution is a matter of grave concern. A High Level Inquiry Committee of the Education Department needs to be set up to assess whether Security Concerns of Girls in this Hostel are being thoroughly met; and Steps should be taken by the College Administration to Ensure proper Security;

4. There has been a clear-cut violation of the newly enacted Sexual Harrasment Act of 2013 (Sexual Harassment at Workplace , Prevention, Prohition and Redressal Act). Therefore, Section 26 of this Law should be applied; Rs 50,000 fine should be levied on the institution and its permission/registration withdrawn.

5. Students, Teachers and Staff of this and Other Institutes should be given adequate trainings to become familiar with  the POCSO (Protection of children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012) and other laws concerning gender related offences.

6. The State Bal Adhikar Ayog (Rajasthan Commission for the Protection of Children) should immediately visit the institution and speak individually to all students. Trainings should also be conducted. Similarly the State Women’s Commission should also have direct contact with the women students and teachers of the institution.

7. The School in Delta Meghwal’s village Trimohi on Gadara Road, Barmer should be named after her and be declared as the Delta Meghwal Government Primary School. The school should be extended to secondary level so that girls have the facility to study in the cillage itself.

8. Prosecution of both Eashwar Chand Ved, chairman of the Jain Adarsh Teacher Training Institute and Secretary and Jagdishmal Lodha for criminal negligence should be initiated.

9. A Compensation of Rs 25 lakhs has also been demanded.

Report on Delta Meghwal Rape and Murder

The post I want Justice Not Character Assassination: Delta’s Father, Mahendra Meghwal appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The gruesome death of Delta Meghwal, a talented 17 year old studying to become a teacher, on March 29, 2016, at the hostel of the Jain Adarsh Teacher Training Institute for Girls at Nokha in Barmer, Rajasthan is not a suicide and a gross collusion between the woman warden, institution head and others holding responsible positions cannot be ruled out. A Rajasthan based Fact Finding Team of the National Human Rights Organisation (NHRO) conducted a preliminary investigation and has released its report. This can be read here.

The delay in reporting the discovery of Delta’s body at 7 a.m. on March 29 for several hours and the removal of the body without videography or panchnama further raises serious questions about possible attempts to destroy evidence and create a narrative that is aimed at concealing the truth. Parents of Delta were also not kept informed by the authorities. A high level independent investigation, that too by CBI, is required to arrive at the truth. These are the key conclusions of the fact finding team’s report.

Further, the concealment of an incident the day before on March 28, 2016 by the warden, Priya Shukla has made matters much worse. If she had dealt with the incident of the day before seriously, Delta’s life may have been saved. The fact that a male PT teacher was given accommodation within a girls hostel also raises serious questions for the institutional heads and all the authorities.

Sabrangindia had reported on what women’s campaign groups have called a rape and murder of a Dalit student allegedly by the PT Teacker, Vrijendra Singh. Though Singh has been arrested, the chairman of the institute, Eashwar Chand Ved, has over the past week, been absconding.On March 29, 2016  the dead body of Delta Meghwal, a 17 year old Dalit girl from a village in Barmer district of Rajasthan was found in the water tank of the Jain Adarsh Teacher Training Institute for girls in Nokha, Bikaner where she was studying. The police took her body in a municipal garbage carrying vehicle (tractor) without videographing it.

According to the FIR filed by her parents, there were only four girls at the hostel as all the other girls had gone home and had not returned by then. A day before, on the evening of March 28, at 8 pm, she had called her father and told him that their Warden Priya Shukla had sent her to the PT Instructor Vijendra Singh's room, with the excuse of cleaning the hostel (this shows the clear collusion of the warden in the case). The Complaint of the parents can be read here.

Brief Report of the Factfinding Team

Jain Adarsh teacher training institute for girls in Nokha, Bikaner (Rajasthan).

Delta Meghwal was the resident of Barmer Garda Road, Barmer

The Team met family members of Delta Meghwal, community members from the Village, teachers and school administration, and the local police

Obsevations

On March 29, 2016 when news of her death came, the body of Delta Meghwal was found in a terrible condition, drowned in a water tank behind the girl’s hostel.

Police officials of the Nokha police station removed the body (without recording the condition through videography nor recording a panchnama). The garbage carrying vehicle of the Nagar Nigham used to take out garbage was used to take the body to the local hospital for the post mortem. Family members of Delta have submitted a Complaint to the police that states that the PT teacher Vijendra Singh had first raped, then killed her and thereafter discarded the body in the water tank. Thereafter the story of the suicide was concocted in a bid to mislead the administration.

According to the Complaint filed by her parents, there were only four girls at the hostel as all the other girls had gone home and had not returned by then. A day before, on the evening of March 28, at 8 pm, Delta had called her father and told him that their Warden Priya Shukla had sent her to the PT Instructor Vijendra Singh's room, with the excuse of cleaning the hostel (this shows the clear collusion of the warden in the case, says the report).

The Fact-Finding was conducted on April 1, 2016. Members of the team included Ansar Indori, Dr Kalpana Begu, Mehiboob Ali Chittod and Abdul Naim Kota reached Nokha. Jugal Hatila a local activist also joined the team.

The Team visited the Police Station at Nokha and spoke to Investigating Officer (IO) Satnam Singh, Additional SP and other officers Prakishu Puja Yadav, IPS, though they were initially made to wait a long time.

IO Satnam Singh
The IO Satnam Singh gave his version which is as follows:
One of the staff/ workers of the Jain Adarsh Vidyala had informed the police that a student had committed suicide by jumping into a water tank on March 29. About 1 p.m. that afternoon, two police officials, one Kanhailal and Sandeep Lalit were sent to spot; the body was retrieved and sent to the mortuary of the local hospital for the post mortem. The IO also said that the PM report became available on March 31. The body had signs of injuries; there was no sign of water in the lungs.  Explaining this phenomenon, the IO said that often when those who drown have blockages in their food pipe due to which water does not get into the body!!! (Delta’s body was found several hours after she was found missing !)

The IO further said, “We have arrested PT teacher Vijendra Singh. He would be produced on April 1, 23016. Apart from sections 376(3)  of the IPC, sections of the Atrocities Act and POSCO Act have been applied to him. Only after the FSL report arrives a decision on applying Section 302 (murder) will be taken. “

The IO added, “The chairman of the institute, Eashwar Chand Ved is absconding. From others we have found that on the night of March 28, 2016, very late, 2 a.m. or so, the girl was found in the PT Teacher’s room. Both had admitted their ‘mistake’ and written an ‘apology.’ The IO also said  that knowledge of a relationship between the PT teacher and the girl had been coming to light for the past 2-3 months. The IO said that we are trying to get details of this from the mobile phones. The written report from the father of the girl was received by March 30. It is on the basis of that report that we have filed an FIR.”

(The Fact Finding Team has noted: The incident took place on March 29, 2016. Even after 24 hours the Police had not, by itself registered any FIR. In this amount of time, evidence can be destroyed; or those involved in the crime can abscond; a fake account can even be manufactured)

Following this, the Team reached the College where the BED college principle, Dr Rajendra Srimali met them in his office. 

Rajendra Srimali, Principal:
“Four different units run in within institution that include a CBSE secondary school, a degree college, a BSTC College and a BED College. In the past five months, I have also been given charge of the BSTC college.

“Delta Meghwal, is a a student from Garad Road, Barmer, daughter of Mahendra Ram Meghwal. Vijendra Singh, joined as PT teacher four months ago. Vijendra Singh was known to  Priya Shukla (the warden) and her husband, PP Shukla.  The couple recommended him.
Apart from a girls hostel, the premises also have some staff quarters. A little farther from the staff quarters are some other rooms in which Vijendra Singh was staying. He is married but his wife had not joined him.”
The principal also said that he got to know of the incident of the dead body of a student being found only on the afternoon of March 29, 2016. By this date, only four students had returned to the girls hostel after the Holi vacation. Priya Shukla is the warden of the hostel.
“It is the Warden only who could give all the details of what happened on March 28 and 29.”

Priya Shukla, Hostel of the Girls Hostel
Then Priya Shukla was called to Principal Srimali’s room.
Without the team even asking a question Priya Shukla began her account:
“I officially do not hold the post of Hostel Warden. But the administration had given me this responsibility as I stayed in the staff quarters. On March 28, around 12 noon I was informed that a girl named Delta was not in the hostel. At the time only four students had returned to the girls hostel after the Holi vacation.

“It was Leela Madam, holding the post of Nurse and staying with the students in the girls hostel, who phoned me and informed me of the girl’s absence. All of us began hunting for the girl since it was late at night and I even called my husband, PP Shukla to join the search.
“ I also called Vijendra Singh on the phone to help in the search. When he did not come out of his room for a long time, I knocked on his door which he opened after quite some time. He was told to help in the search for Delta who is missing. When Vijendra Singh tried to shut the door of his room, I got suspicious and went inside the room and put the light on. Delta was present there.

“When questioned, the PT teacher said ‘Delta had asked for awlas (berries) and come to get them’. It was 1.30 a.m. Both Delta and Vijendra accepted their ‘wrongdoing” and promised not to make such mistakes in future. Both were asked to write ‘maafi naaamas' (apologies)."

This incident was obviously attempted to be buried and no efforts made by the Warden to speak to Delta Meghwal on her own the whole of the next day after this incident.

Priya Shukla continued,
“On March 29, 2016 at about 7 am, again, it was Leela Madam who said to me that Delta was missing from the student’s hostel. The hunt for her began. At about 11 a.m. the chowkidar (guard) said that Delta's body is lying in the water tank. Then he informed the chairman Easwar Chand Ved, who called the police who removed the body from the tank.

Hanuman the chowkidar did not meet the team and his account therefore could not be recorded.

The team also met one Ghansiram Meghwal who does the work of masonry within the institute. He said about a fortnight earlier, the chairman, Easwar Chand Ved had told him that the tank near the girls hostel was leaking due to which water was seeping out; and asked him to repair it. He said he had not yet repaired it. Delta Meghwal’s body was found here.

The team also met with the Principal of the Nokha Government  Upper Primary School (Rajkiya Uccha Prathamik Vidyalaya Pradhan Adhyapak), Suresh Hathila. He recounted his assessment of Delta Meghwal.
Suresh Hathila said that Delta was a serious student and an extremely mature girl. Her BST Lesson Plans had been given in his school. Her way of teaching was creative and impressive. She worked very hard to prepare her lesson plans. She was very interested and good at art. She had got recognition from the chief minister of the state for this. How can such a student commit suicide? It is a very unfortunate incident, a tragedy; because of which Dalit students, especially girl students will feel very insecure. We demand that those guilty should face severe and exemplary punishment, he said.

Findings:

1. If after the March 28 2016 incident Priya Shukla, her husband and other staff members  had — instead of shrouding it in secrecy (and only believing the PT Teacher Vijendra Singh’s version) immediately informed responsible persons from institution and the police then Delta could have been saved from death
2. The allocation of a room for a male PT Teacher within a Girls Hostel is a grave act of irresponsibility on the part of the administration and management
3. On March 29 2016 at about 7 a.m. when Delta’s absence was intimated to Priya Shukla for the second time, her duties as a Hostel Warden required that she should have immediately informed responsible authorities of the institution, including the Principal. Her not doing so raises serious questions and raises grave suspicion(s).
4. The water tank in which Delta was found dead has a depth of six feet. Significantly, the tank is fully covered; only a 1.5 foot X 1.5 foot hole exists which has a lid on top.  The lid has a hole for a lock and an old lock was seen by the team on the lid. But it was not locked. Why? Not locking the tank is an act of grave responsibility on the part of the Warden, Principal and Chairman of the institution.
5. From the size of the opening on the tank, it is highly unlikely that a healthy young woman of 5 foot four could have entered inside at all.
6. The fact that the police did not record the recovery of the body through videography deepens suspicions. Neither was a panchnama of the body performed.
7. After the body was removed, press reporter Pavan Kumar himself took photos of the body. There were injuries on the body and blood was oozing out of one year. Bleeding from the ear in a death supposedly caused by drowning does not add up and further raises questions and suspicions.
8. Delta is from a poor Dalit family who has no political backing and support. There is every chance that the authorities and chairman of the Jain Adarsh Vidyalaya will use clout and other means to ensure that the case does not read fruition and justice is not delivered.

From these preliminary findings, NCHRO reaches the conclusion that Delta Meghwal has not committed suicide.
Her death has been caused by serious circumstances that require a high level independent investigation.  
The NHRO also demands that the CBI should be brought in to enable the truth to emerge
NCHRO believes that young girls and women living in the Hostels of Educational Institutions are in danger if those guilty in this case are not given exemplary and prompt punishment in this case. The dignity of women and girls will not be safeguarded.

The post Delta Meghwal’s Death: Role of Warden and Others Suspicious appeared first on SabrangIndia.

My loving sister Delta,

I write this letter to you, with swollen eyes plunged in tears after your murder, knowing the fact that you will never read this. I am also sad that I could not write a letter to you before and remained lost into my own world of suffering. I am also sad that I could not inquire about your suffering.

My young sister Delta, I know that you had never blamed me for the sheer ignorance that I showed to you. I also know that you never complained about your suffering and pain caused to you and never expressed anything except the desire to study in the school, except that you also wanted to have a little circle of friends, except to see a new place like school as you were imprisoned in house like many others in the past centuries, except that you wanted to know the world apart from the narrow kitchen and few rooms, except read those words that were kept away from you for centuries, except that you wanted to know about what school is, except learn some poems.

My younger sister, I know why you wanted to go to school so that you can write the songs that you sang along with mother while cooking, washing and working all alone and we worked in the land listening your songs in your mellifluous voice. I know that you just wanted to learn to write those words which came in your songs, the song of seasons, the song of harvest, the song of birth, the song of adolescence, the song of love and the song of pain. I also remember that you had told me to write everything as how afraid you always felt of those people in the village who stared at your feminine with the vultures’ eyes while you had to go alone to fields from the morning to evening. I remember you told me several times as how you were frequently chased by dominant people belonging to dominant castes of the village while coming back alone bringing the log of wood on your head and you remained frightened for many days and it had become a nightmare for you. I remember that you wanted to study so that you can fight with these kind of people staying in every village of this country outraging and frightening many little girls and women.

My sweet Delta, I knew that your desire to fight back all kinds of oppression had taken the shape of lifelong commitment. I had seen the fire burning in your eyes against the humiliation that you were made to suffer everyday and you had felt the pain of millions of such girls and women in the heart at such a tender age. But my dear sister, I am sorry I could not tell you before I sent you at hostile place called ‘school’ these days. Sorry, I did not tell you that going to school for us has always been like going to the wild forest where animals have turned themselves into humans and their thirsty for the blood of the human heart. I forgot to tell you that all of us had always desired to go to school and study but we were historically kept aside.

Our ancestral brother Eklavya who had learnt on his own without going to any school or teacher had to pay the heavy price for something he had never got at all. I know I missed to remind you that you were not just a girl rather a dalit girl who was never allowed to attend school and know the reasons of their multiple oppression of patriarchy. I thought it was too big a topic to have discussed with you. I was wrong. I am ashamed of myself that I also behaved to same way as others did while underestimating your understanding. I forgot that your name was Delta which stood to be the land of highly fertile soil. The soil where new plants grow where new life begins and new hope arises.

But my darling, if you were alive you should have understood that I had not still come out of the shock that we all had received after the institutional murder of our elder brother Rohith Vemula. You know that how much love Rohith Bhaiya had for education and how did he always remain adamant to send you to school where you can play and learn and study. After the death of Rohith Bhaiya, we could not gather senses so fast as to warn you of dangers ahead in your path of education which was the only way to fight against the century old subjugation.

My loving sister, I am in so much unbearable pain after you have been killed that I happen to shiver out of fear when I see little girls going to school everyday. But remembering your courage and devotion, I take pledge that I shall never in future think even once to keep you away from school rather we will remain vigilant as what is happening with rest of our brothers and sisters all around the world.

My dear sister, I want to tell you at end that you were never a reason of shame to us because you got brutally raped and murdered. Rather I think that you as a girl died while fighting a kind of historical war which has been going against the girl child from womb to the menstruating women who are giving birth to new hopes everyday in the world of male dominated rotten societies. We all are at war and your killing has once again appeared as a reminder of this age-old war against patriarchy. And we shall valiantly fight till our last breath to smash patriarchy and this can be the only sincere tribute to your sacrifice.

(The author is pursuing Ph.D from Jawaharlal Nehru University,New Delhi. He may be contacted at dmaxrule@gmail.com)

The post To My Sister, Delta Meghwal appeared first on SabrangIndia.

 ​

​Delta was a 17 years old Dalit girl from a village near the Pakistan border in Barmer district of Rajasthan. She was persuading her BSTC (a course afert 10+2, to become a school teacher) from Jain Adarsh teacher training institute for girls in Nokha, Bikaner (Rajasthan).

She was a brilliant student and an amazing painter, having topped in an Art competition in whole of Rajasthan when she was in Stad XI. One of her artworks was featured in an art magazine published by Rajasthan secretariat in 2006, when she was just 7 years old.

On the morning of March 29, her dead body was found in the water tank of her hostel under suspicious conditions. Police took her body in a municipal garbage carrying vehicle (tractor) without videographing it. According to institution, she committed suicide because they caught her in PT teacher Vijendra Kumar’s room, and they had warned both and asked them to write an apology.
 
— Now the question is, why did the Institution not inform her parents?
 
— Why did the Institute not sack the PT teacher and file a complaint against him as she was a minor?
 

 The Real Story

 Four days ago, on March 29, 2016  the dead body of Delta Meghwal, a 17 year old Dalit girl from a village in Barmer district of Rajasthan was found in the water tank of the Jain Adarsh Teacher Training Institute for girls in Nokha, Bikaner where she was studying. The police took her body in a municipal garbage carrying vehicle (tractor) without videographing it.

According to the FIR filed by her parents, there were only four girls at the hostel as all the other girls had gone home and had not returned by then. A day before, on the evening of March 28, at 8 pm, she had called her father and told him that their Warden Priya Shukla had sent her to the PT Instructor Vijendra Singh's room, with the excuse of cleaning the hostel (this shows the clear collusion of the warden in the case).

There, Delta was allegedly raped by Vijendra Kumar Singh, the PT teacher.

The Institute , in an attempt to cover up the incident, obtained a written apology from both her and the PT Instructor with a statement that the brute sexual assault of rape was ‘with mutual consent.’ The usual strategy of victim blaming was used in the most brutal manner against a 17 yr old girl. mainstream English newspapers have not yet covered the issue. It did not inspire national debates on the safety of girl students in hostels or caste based sexual violence. This news report in Hindi gives a chilling perspective on the rape and killing if true.

Several glaring questions remain unanswered:

Why did the college administration not take action and file a police case against Vijendra Kumar Singh, since the girl is legally a minor?
Why were the parents not informed?
Why did the college force a letter that the abuse was a consensual relationship?
Why did the police use a garbage tractor to take the body?
Why was due process not followed?
Why was a minor Dalit girl sent to the room of a male PT teacher and forced to clean the hostel in the first place?

In the light of these atrocities against young Delta Meghwal, Campaign Groups have demanded –

​​JUSTICE FOE DELTA

1. Criminal action to be taken against the principal of the college, Eashwar Chand Vaid and warden Priya Shukla who are complicit in the rape and murder of Delta and subsequent covering up of the case.
2. Criminal action be taken against Vijendra Singh for rape and murder of Delta Meghwal.
3. Police officers who removed the body with a garbage tractor without videographing it to be suspended from service immediately and atrocities case to be registered against them
4. A Prevention of Atrocities (SC/ST) to be filed against the college administration, principal Eashwar Chand Vaid, warden Priya Shukla,  PT master Vijendra Singh ( in addition to other criminal cases of rape, murder and criminal conspiracy)
5. An independent, high level enquiry to be done into the case and the legal proceedings to happen through fast track court to ensure speedy justice.
6.  Although we realise that no compensation given will bring any semblance of justice, we also demand  compensation of 50 lakhs to be given to the family of Delta Meghwal.
7. The government to withdraw recognition to Nokha Jain College and students completing their studies must be transferred to another college.
8. The name of the school in Trimohi village in which she studied , must be changed to the Delta Meghwa Trimohi
9. At the state level for Dalit girls,  Delta Meghwal State Scholarship should be introduced.

There are also appeals to the mainstream media to cover this issue and the protests for justice for Delta Meghwal and end their silence on caste based sexual violence.

A protest was organised on April 2, in front of Town Hall, Bangalore at 5 pm, to demand Justice For Delta Meghwal. People’s Union for Civil :Liberties (PUCL) rajasthan also organised a protest on April 2, 2016 and issued the following press release:

डेल्टा मेघवाल के हत्यारों को गिरफ्तार करो 

नोखा के जैन कॉलेज के प्रबंधन को संरक्षण देना बंद करो 

 
आज 40 से अधिक सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता विनोबा ज्ञान मंदिर में मिले।  जिसमे  डॉ. पवन सुराणा  डॉ. लाड कुमारी जैन, रेणुका पामेचा, राधा कांत सक्सेना, सवाई सिंह , तारा चाँद, हरकेश बुगालिया, सुमित्रा चोपड़ा, निशा सिद्धू , शामिल थे।  नोखा के जैन कॉलेज में BS TC  की छात्र डेल्टा मेघवाल के साथ बलात्कार व हत्या 29 मार्च को हुई. PTI विजेंद्र चौधरी के द्वारा  बलत्कार करने के अलावा हॉस्टल वार्डन प्रिया की भूमिकर बलात्कार की साजिश में   व प्रबंधन सचिव ईश्वर बैद के साथ बलात्कार को ढकने में और छात्रा की हत्या में पूरा हाथ है. 
 
डेल्टा मेघवाल की निर्मम हत्या को लेकर सभी में रोश था. इस मसले को कड़ी शब्दों में निदा की गयी. सभी का मानना था की यह बहुत गम्भीर मसला था क्योंकि अगर जैन कॉलेज वाले चाहते तो छात्रा की जान बचाई जा सकती थी।  आखिर 28 मार्च की शाम को जब उन्होंने डेल्टा से  लिखवाया की उसने गलती की है, जो [प्रक्रिया ही  गैर कानूनी थी ), उसके बजाय कॉलेज प्रबंधन को  पुलिस को सूचित करना चाहिए था की PTI ने एक छात्रा से बलात्कार किया है और उसको उसी वक्त गिरफ्तार करवाना था। यह सुचना नहीं देना ही अपने में POCSO कानून  की धारा  21 का उल्लंघन है जो लगायी जनि चाहिए।
 
क्योंकि अभी तक  सिर्फ PTI गिरफतार हुआ है। जब तक सभी गिरफ्तार नहीं होते तब तक आंदोलन जारी रखना होगा। उसी के तहत इसकी शुरूआत आज आंबेडकर सर्किल से शुरू करनी चाहिए।  तय हुआ शाम 5. ३० बजे सर्किल पर इकट्ठा होकर प्रदर्शन करना चाहिए। 
 
यह भी तय हुआ की 
पुलिस जांच नोखा से बाहर आनी चाहिए। मांग तो CBI की करते रहेंगे, पर राजस्थान सरकार का हमेशा रुख रहा है नहीं देने,  इसलिए जब तक CBI में नहीं जाती, IG के नीचे बीकानेर में ही जांच हो. CID – C.B में  जांच देना तो ठंडे बस्ते में जाएगी। 
इस  मामले में तुरंत गृह मंत्री से मिलना चाहिए और मुख्य मंत्री से समय मांगना चाहिए।  HM कल मिलेंगें। 
50 लाख का मुआवज़ा दिया जाए। 
डेल्टा मेघवाल के गांव  त्रिमोही के स्कूल को उसके नाम में बदला जाए। 
डेल्टा मेघवाल के नाम पर राज्य स्तरीय दलित लड़कियों के लिए  एक स्कालरशिप स्थापित की जाये। यह भी तय किया जाये की :

एक राज्य स्तरीय जांच समिति सभी संगठनों की नोखा 3 अप्रैल की रात या 4 सुबह बीकानेर पहुंचेगी ।  NFIW, AIDWA, AIDMM, PUCL, HRLN के एक, एक, साथी जायेंगे। इसके अलावा  बीकानेर और अजमेर के संगठन भी जुड़ेंगे।  जांच दाल नोखा, बीकानेर के  बाद गडरा रोड भी  जायेगा।  स्थानीय उरमूल के साथियों, एकल  नारी शक्ति संगठन के साथी व अन्य संगठनों के प्रतिनिधि से भी मिलेगा 
तथयांवेशन की टोली को डेल्टा की हत्या और बलातकार की जांच तो करेगा,  इसके अलावा जांच में बरती कोताई पर भी गौर करेगा । साथ ही जैन कॉलेज की अन्य छात्रों से मिलेगा, शिकायत आई है की पहले भी योनिक हिंसा के मामले हुए है,जीने दबा दिया है. अभी लड़कियों पर चुप्पी रखने के लिए दबाव बनाया जा रहा है। 

बाडमेर में स्थित डेल्टा के माता पिता इत्यादि से मिल कर भरोसा दिलवाना चाहिए की वे पीछे नहीं हटें चाहे दबाव कितना भी हो. . 
 
पीपुल्स यूनियन फाॅर सिविल लिबर्टीज, राजस्थान व जयपुर इकाई (पी.यू.सी.एल.),  अखिल भारतीय जनवादी महिला समिति, राजस्थान यूनिवर्सिटी विमेन्स एसोसिएशन (रूवा), नेशनल फैड्रशन इण्डियन विमन (एन.एफ.आई.डब्ल्यू,), महिला पुनर्वास समूह, पनैशनल मुस्लिम वुमेन्स वेलफेयर सोसायटी,राजस्थान महिला कामगार यूनियन, विविधा-महिला आलेखन एवं सन्दर्भ केन्द्र, महिला एवं बाल कल्याण समिति, सामाजिक विधि अध्ययन अकादमी, भारत ज्ञान विज्ञान समिति राजस्थान, सेन्टर फाॅर एडवोकेसी एण्ड रिसर्च जयपुर, आॅल इण्डिया दलित महिला मंच (राजस्थान),  आजाद फाउण्डेशन, सूचना का अधिकार एवं रोजगार अभियान, मजदूर किसान शक्ति संगठन, राजस्थान मजदूर किसान मोर्चा अजमेर, बेटी जिन्दाबाद अभियान, शिक्षा रोजगार केन्द्र व प्रबन्धक समिति (एस.आर.के.पी.एस.), एकल नारी शक्ति संगठन राजस्थान, विशाखा, विकल्प राजस्थान, दलित अधिकार केंद्र, राजस्थान बाल अधिकार संरक्षण साझा अभियान
 

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