Case in Brief

Godata Lakshmi, SC Madiga by caste is resident of Divili village and was working in brick kiln as labourer.  Her husband Rambabu is a rickshaw puller and is sending their children to school with great difficulty.  She actively participates in the development programs of the village and is an active member of DWACRA group in the village.  

In the year 2006, Sarpanch seat was reserved for SC woman in Divili.  Naralasetti Surya Rao, land lord belonging to Kapu community in the village, asked her to contest in the elections and assured her that Congress Party would support her.  She refused in the beginning, but Surya Rao said that she would get a salary of Rs.1,000/- as sarpanch and he would look after all the works. Ultimately she contested and won in the elections.  During the election campaign, Prasada Rao, her younger brother’s autos were seized and she requested Surya Rao to help out her brother and he said that he would look into that matter after elections.  

After being elected as Sarpanch, she was never allowed to sit on her seat nor even discharge her duties.  It was Surya Rao who is looking into all the matters and her duty was only to sign where ever he asked her to do so.  She tried to assert her position but he never cared for her.  When she reminded him of her brother’s autos seized by the police, he did not respond. One day, Prasada Rao came to the Panchayat office and pleaded Surya Rao to help him.  Surya Rao refused and abused him in the name of caste by using filthy language and asked him to get out.  He said, “Madiga lanjakodaka, bayataku nadu” (You son of a Madiga bitch, get out).  When he tried to resist, they levied false allegation that he beat Prasad clerk in Panchayat office and lodged a complaint on him in the police station. 

Once when audit was going on, she was asked for explanation on the expenditure incurred for Rs 12 lakhs.  She said that she does not know the details of the expenditure as she signed where ever Surya Rao asked her to.  Later, unable to bear the harassment from Surya Rao, she shifted to Telugu Desam Party.  Even then she was not allowed to carry on her duties as sarpanch.  The local MLA was in support of the Kapu community in the village.    

On 28th September 2007, at around 09:00 am, while she was on the way from her residence to bank to exchange the cheques of panchayat, she was attacked by men of Kapu community.  Naralasetti Surya Rao alias Bobji Rao, Tummalapalli Anjaneyulu, Chenduluri Chella Rao and others fell on her, caught hold of her hair and beat her up. They forced her to hand over the cheques to them but she refused.  They pulled off her saree and tore her blouse.  They also brought her son Shiva Vara Prasad, aged 14 years, pushed him down and beat him up.  They threatened her that they would make her parade in the village nakedly if she does not give them the cheques.  They brutally beat her and her son abusing in the name of caste.  They said “Madiga lanja neekenduke ivanni” (You Madiga bitch why do you need all these).  She somehow managed to escape from them and reached her home.  At 02:30 pm, they attacked Prasada Rao and beat him on his head, thus caused major bleeding injury.  

She complained in the police station on the same day, but they refused to register a case.  As there was threat from the accused, on 1st October 2007, Lakshmi again went to police station with the help of her caste elders Vijay Kumar, Mohan Rao, Shesha Rao and Valluri Satyavathi and once again lodged a complaint against the accused.  The police did not register the case in the beginning, but with the interference of the local dalit leaders, they registered the case.  But the accused are not arrested till date due to the pressure from the local MLA.  

DSS Intervention:

• Conducted fact finding and discussed with the police on findings. 
• Extended support from the local dalit leaders. 
• As the police failed to respond, DSS represented to the State Human Rights Commission, State Women’s Commission, State SC/ST Commission, IG, Women Cell through the Round Table Conference held on 27th November 2007.  

Malliga (37) belongs to Dalit community, reside at Ikkaraithathapalli, Santhiamangalam Taluk, Erode District. She was living a separate life because of misunderstanding with her husband. On 24.09.2007 Monday by around 9.20 pm Malliga and her neighbourhood Ms.Ragupathi went to perform natural source while they were going they were chat about Mr.Poonusamy matter (through Katta panchayt Mr.Sambath forced Poonusamy to fall on his feet) that time Caste Hindu community persons around 6 were passed comment and scolded the by saying “You Sakilithayoli prostitute ladies how audacious you all were speaking about my community”. They were Sampath, Dinesh, Prakash, Nagaraj, Nagan and Siva.

In the crucial juncture they came near to them and dragged her fiercely and menace them to come for their bed they do not know how to react at once. She shouted for help but they tarred her hlouse and removed all dress from body and see her in a bared state. After that she lost her conscious and fainted. They tried to rape her. Ms.Ragupathi went into the village side and passed the message to Dalit guys instantly Moorthy Sudhakar, Murugessh came and rescued her from the caste Hindu barbarians while they rescuing her they also brutally attacked by the caste Hindus.

Along with Moorthy, Sudhakar and Murugesh she went to Bavanisagar police station to file the case but they did not show a great deal attention to her. In reply they sid that “go and take your tarred blouse and sari after that only we can file a case” they referred he to admit in Erode government hospital. The caste Hindu perpetrator 6 persons still not arrested even though they commit an illicit crime. On 25.09.2007 she went to Bavanisagar police station and submitted a compliant regarding this attempt rape as per the police station requisition she went to hospital for health check up but the staff in hospital treat he inhospitality. They just inject one injection and gave five capsules. When she asked about the in patient receipt they said that, they will send the receipt to police statio directly. 

Saravanapakkam was a Dalit colony located in Ulundurpet taluk in Villupuam Village. There were 1000 caste hindu families and 300 Dalit familes were living in Saravanapakkam. On 22.09.2007 mob of dominant caste people enterd the Dalit settlement of Saravanapakkam village and ran sacked the houses and their properties and around 800 people attacked with lethal weapons like iron bars, bricks, blue metal, cycle chines, knife and pelted stones and brutally assaulted the Dalits including children who were stands in front of their homes and who were played over there and humiliated the Dalit women’s by scolded that you paraiyah prostitute are you too audacious? How dare you are take stand against us bloody? We don’t leave you todady. 

28 Dalit people including women, children and aged have been brutally assaulted and severely injured. They have been admitted into Villupuram Government hospital some of them have referred to the Pondicherry JIPMER hospital. But some of the dalits were forcibly discharged by the Doctors. Because of the political pressure from some of the political party focal members who are close relatives to the perpetrators. No action was taken by the government to provide immediate assistance to the survivors of caste   atrocities in terms of food, cloth, water,medical assistance and protection.  

Village Dari has 200 families that constitute 8000 villagers.  Although there are Bheels, Choudhary, Dholi, Raiyaka, Bhat, Banwari and Meghwal communities but Rajputs and Meenas are dominant there.  Dhanki is just an eight years old girl. Her father has been working as daily wages laborer and makes coal in the village. Dhanki used to go to the woods in the village to graze cattle. At the day of incident, she was in wood and grazing her cattle there. In the meantime, the accused namely Shesha Ram came there and clutched innocent Dhanki in his arms and brutally raped her. After raping Dhanki, Shesha Ram ran away from there and left Danki with oozing blood from her internal parts.

Dhanki became unconscious and got so many injuries on her body. When Dhanki did not turn home till late night, her uncle and her family started searching for her and at last they found her unconscious in woods. They took her to the Pali Hospital but due to grievous injuries and serious condition, the doctor of Pali hospital recommended her to Jodhpur hospital. She had been hospitalized for one month because her vagina was torn. Next day on September 22^nd, 2007 her uncle Bhaka Ram went to the Police Station at Guda Andela and lodged FIR against the accused. The local police registered his FIR 117/07 under section 376(2) (f) Indian Penal Code. The accused was arrested next day of FIR and sent to Police Custody.

In every criminal case police plays a vital role, they can either make a true case to be false or vice- versa. In this case, the role of Police is quite appreciable and admirable. On September 22^nd 2007, the Local police registered the FIR, arrested the accused and started investigation. They filed challan within 17 days from the date of registration of FIR against the accused.

There is nothing to mention in favor of Administration as it can be seen from the facts that Dhanki’s family is very poor and unable to manage medical expenses incurred in the treatment of Dhanki. Many times Dhanki’s father went to meet the collector for some pecuniary relief but not even a single penny has been given to him for the sake of justice.

The medical examination of Dhanki took place on September 22^nd 2007. The report which was presented by the Doctor did not clearly admit the possibility of Rape. It mentioned that little finger was not entering the vaginaand wound is present right in center of vagina; another wound is at the posterior vaginal wall in connection with the external wound.

The role of Judiciary was quite appreciable because the challan had been submitted on October 9^th, 2007 and decided on February 14, 2008. The accused has been prosecuted under section 376 (2) (f) IPC and was sentenced life imprisonment with a fine of Rs. 1000. 

After this incident, the poor innocent girl Dhanki came into trauma. She even stopped going out of her home and talking to anyone at all.  She is living with her parents but her parents think that this incident has spoiled her whole life and they will not be able to get a boy for her marriage. Daily expenses to attend court proceedings were very expensive for her parents and to go to the court, they had to compromise with their daily work also.

This incident brought problems to Dhanki as she is a minor of 8 years, she was hospitalized for around a month and her treatment is still going on but as her parents are very poor and unable to nourish her she is not well and under trauma.  In this case, Dhanki has been awarded justice. The accused has been prosecuted under section 376 (2) (f) IPC and was sentenced life imprisonment with a fine of Rs. 1000 on February 14, 2008.