Laxmi Devi (18) w/o Dukhi Bhuiyan is resident of Dhaniwar Bhuiyan Bighwa village under Rishiyap police station in Aurangabad Dist., belongs to Musahar (SC) caste.

On 04/09/2010, at about 5.00 p.m, Ranjay Singh s/o Bruhaspati Singh, a rowdy of Karam Misir a neibhbouring village came to Dhaniwar Bhuiyan Bighwa village and having found Laxmi alone at home he molested and attempted to rape her. Laxmi screamed out for help. On hearing the cries Arvind Bhuiyan (14), brother of Laxmi went to the spot and tried save the victim. The accused brutally beat Arvind and left him with multiple injuries on his body.

 A case was registered in Rishiyap police station against the accused on 07/09/2010 as No. 23/10, u/s 452, 376, 511, 323, 325, 360, 379 IPC & 3(1)(x) (xi) SC/ST (PoA) Act. The perpetrator is on run till now. Charge sheet is not filed. The victim has not received any compensation from the administration.

N. Bharath (15), S/o Narayanaswamy, belongs to dalit community, is a resident of Erappavur village, Koanur Post, Thittakudi Taluk, Cuddalore District. Bharath is studying 10^th standard. He is pursuing his studies by staying in the Pennadam SC Hostel. On 02/09/2010, around 08.30 am he was found hanging in a rope tied to the window by the hostel inmate Veeramani. Veeramani reported this to the hostel warden and the cooks. Before the arrival of the Police to the spot, hostel warden and the two cooks of the hostel, untied the rope and brought down his body.

Bharath being a active member of Indian Students Movement, objected the corrupt practices and misdeeds of the hostel administration. CPI (M),  Union Secretary suspects the hostel warden and the cooks in the mysterious death of Bharath. Backialakshmi, mother of Bharath, told that Bharath was found normal on that day while going to school. She found blood leakage from his ears, this further fans the suspicion of the untimely death.

Bharath height was about 5 feet; the window in which he was found hanging was about 5 feet; and the rope he used to hang himself is about 2.5 feet. Hence 5 feet tall person, hanging himself at the height of 5 feet with a rope length of 2.5 feet is not practical and nearly impossible. Even when Veeramani reported this to the warden and the cooks, their reaction was not spontaneous and they have not shown any shock reaction to this news. Given all the circumstantial evidences the warden and the cooks were found to be involved in the heinous crime of killing him and hanged him in the window. But the police department filed this case as suicide and no further investigation was conducted with the murder perspective.

Brief Details of the Incident:

Swapna has been working in this residential school for the past three years as mathematics teacher. She is also in-charge of the hostel.  She belongs to the dominant community and often harasses the students belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. The details of the recent incident of harassment by Swapna are as follows. One day she beat all the students of 10^th standard including Swetha (15) SC Madiga and Sony (15) belonging to Scheduled Tribe for not doing mathematics problem. Likewise she scolded Swetha saying “Munda”, why you are not having bindhu (bottu/ a sectarian mark on the forehead)! Have you lost your husband? Swetha informed the same to her parents. Swetha’s father brought it to the notice of the head master. Having come to know about it, Swapna intensified the harassment and asked Swetha and Sony to do a problem on the board. Having got frightened, Swetha said she would do the problem in the notes. Though they requested, Swapna insisted to do on the board, if not she will neck them out of the class. Swapna also warned the remaining students saying if they remain in the class, she will not teach.

Unable to bear the humiliation both Swetha went up the stairs to commit suicide.  Anuradha the attender, noticed them, rushed up and pulled them back and saved them. Further the students have also complained about the quality and timings of food.

The same teacher Swapna is incharge of the hostel in the residential school. The students have informed that she spends much time in the kitchen and storeroom. The parents have alleged that Swapna has colluded with the contractors of the mess. Swetha’s father has lodged a detailed complaint with the concerned MEO and in Dharoor PS, but the complaint has not been registered. The parents of Swetha and Sony are being threatened by the local leaders to withdraw their complaint.

Apart from harassment of Swetha and Sony by Swapna the teacher and the in-charge of mess, the issues such as basic amenities etc needs  to  be  addressed.

The allotment of rice is still pending as the name was wrongly written and even there is a mistake in allocation of the rice quantity. Hence, often the Special Officer (in-charge of the school) goes to the nearby schools to obtain rice. Even on the day of incident he was on the same job. Likewise the water problem is being caused due to lack of proper pipeline and overhead tank. Hence due to lack of water, cooking is being delayed and the children are also facing problem. There is no compound wall to the premises, thus making easy to the intruders and even the inmates are able to move in and out freely. Further the students have also complained against the mess contractor’s behavior and food. 

Kandhasamy, (37) resident of Keelbavanikuppam village, Cuddalore Taluk, Cuddalore District, belongs to Dalit community. Raju belongs to dominant caste hindu community, is a Paint shop owner and an influential person in that region. He used to pile his paint Tin boxes along the road side, in front of his shop. sOn 25/08/2010, while Kandhasamy was having tea in the tea shop  in the Lawrence road. Mistaken him for a thief, six men of the Raju Store employees brutally assaulted Kandhasamy. The perpetrators took away Rs. 2000 using his ICICI ATM Card, Mobile phone and the Identity card. When he went to the Thirupapuliur Police station to file a complaint, Raju the owner of the Paint Shop was found chatting with the Sub Inspector. Hence even before Kandasamy managed to reach the PS, Raju approached the Police station and persuaded them not to entertain the complaint of the victim Kandhasamy. When the activists tried to contact the Inspector, asking to take action on the complaint of Kandhasamy, Police Inspector threatened the activists saying they too will be implicated by charging  false cases on them.

Kandhasamy sent the postal complaint to the DSP twice. But the DSP refused to register the FIR being biased in favour of Raju. Police Department is negligent to take action against the perpetrators considering his clout in the local region. No monetary compensation was provided to the victim Kandhasamy.

The village Panota is situated around 80 kilometers from the District Headquarter Pali; 10 kilometers from Khiwada Police Station and around 380 kilometers from Jaipur. Mostly all caste people reside in the village with a total population of 1500. 50 Meghwal, 40 Rajput, 40 Devasi, 25 Heeragar, 40 jat, 15 Kumhar, 1 Darzi, 5 Daroga, 2 Meena, 25 Jain, 1 Valmiki, 2 Vadi, 2 Dholi, 30 Vaishnav, 1 Luhar and other caste families reside in this village. Rajput and Jat communities are most dominant in the village. They are financially and politically powerful. The main occupation in the village is agriculture. Rajputs are so dominant that they freely harass Dalits and in turn Dalits do not protest due to their terror. Here Dalit women are double burdened as firstly they are not educated and secondly they are not independent which can help them to sought their rights and live their lives. Lack of pay and skills force them to bear all sort of atrocities committed on them in or out side their home. Women who have gone through this inhumane treatment never ever protest or seek justice against the miscreants.

Rekha (18 years) lives in village Panota Tehsil Desuri, Distt. Pali. On the day of the incident, i.e. on 23^rd August 2010, Rekha as per her routine went to their corn fields to graze cattle. Her parents went to her maternal home for condolence of some relative. Around 1:30 pm, when Rekha was sitting in the fields, while her cattle were grazing, Babu Singh s/o Sumer Singh suddenly came from behind and seized her in his arms. He clutched her mouth with his hand and flung her onto the ground and brutally raped her. After that he ran away leaving Rekha in miserable unconscious condition.

Poona Ram, resident of the same village, saw him running and asked Mangi Lal, who was working in the nearby field, to catch hold of the culprit. Poona Ram and Mangi Lal caught him and called Police and handed him over to the Police. Meanwhile, Rekha’s parents were informed, thus they also came to the site. Rekha with her parents lodged an FIR against Babu Singh, which was registered under section 376 IPC read with section 3(2)(v) SC/ST Act (PoA) 1989. Police sent Rekha for her medical examination. In a month, police submitted a charge sheet against the culprit before the court and applied appropriate sections- 376, 342, 447 IPC and 3(2)(v) SC/ST Act, 1989.

Police in this case played an admirable role. Here police helped the victim and quickly lodged the FIR against the culprit and arrested him on the same day. Police even sent Rekha for medical examination on the same day. Charge sheet against the culprit was also submitted before the court in a month by the police and they applied appropriate sections in the charge sheet- section 376, 342, 447 IPC and 3(2)(v) SC/ST Act, 1989. Administration provided the victim a statutory monetary relief of Rs. 50,000/- for which she was eligible and entitled under rule 12(4) of SC/ST Act, 1989.  The inspector who was the in charge of the police station lodged the FIR as the utmost urgency and also presented the charge sheet within a month. Deputy S.P. also assured of helping in the case and to seek fair justice to Rekha. Circle officer inspected the place of incident and sent Rekha to Bangad Hospital Pali for her examination. Rekha’s medical examination took place on the same day of occurrence of incident. The medical officer did not give any opinion regarding the occurrence of rape and counted on FSL report. The culprit was arrested and charge sheet against the culprit was submitted before the court. Judicial Magistrate ordered him on remand and sent him to jail.

Perpetrator’s family insisted Rekha to withdraw the case and blamed her to be wrong on her part.

Due to this incident Rekha is in trauma. She has now confined herself at her home. She is so much mentally stressed by the incident that she has stopped talking to anybody. Administration has no provision of providing counseling to the victims so that hey can be able to lead their life normally and confidently ahead. The case is pending before the court of Law for trial.