In Dudhela village there are 50 Rajput families and they own the vast majority of the land. The Yadavs number 35 households and own some land as well.  The Pasis are the largest Dalit community in the village and are mostly landless. Other than these three castes, there are small numbers of families of Muslims and several Backward Castes. In January 2003 dominant caste landlord Dharam Singh (FC Rajput) beat the young son of Dalit agricultural labourers Phulo Devi and Mahesh Chaudhury, alleging that the boy had eaten some peas from his field. Mahesh Chaudhury confronted Dharam Singh, saying, “Sir, if my son has done something wrong, you should have corrected him, not assaulted him.”  This infuriated the Rajput landlord and he beat Mahesh as well.  He also denied the Dalit labourers their wages, claiming that the money would go towards the debt their son had incurred by stealing his peas. Violent incidents of this sort are commonplace in Dudhela village.

Kalawati Devi (Pasi, 18 years) lives with her husband Suresh Chaudhury and his family in Dudhela village, Risiyap police station, Varun block, Aurangabad district, Bihar.  Kalawati was married to Suresh in 2002 at the age of 16 years.  Though Kalawati was educated up to 6^th standard, her husband is illiterate.  She is the youngest daughter-in-law of the family. Though the traditional occupation of the family is selling toddy, they also work in the fields of a Rajput landlord named Jitendra Singh.  The family also borrows money from Jitendra Singh when needed. Kalawati is good-looking, and therefore her in-laws do not allow her to venture outside the house.  They require her to work only inside the house, or nearby the house. Once in the first year of Kalawati’s marriage, landlord Jitendra Singh came to her house unannounced and started talking to Kalawati.  He asked her where her father-in-law was, and said that he needed to speak to him regarding some work for him in his fields the next day.  Kalawati told him that her father-in-law was away for some work and was not at home at the moment.  She told Jitendra that when her father-in-law came back she would let him know this information.  After that she turned to go inside,but Jitendra insisted on talking with her further.  He asked her if she was educated, to which she replied in the affirmative.  He wanted to continue the conversation with her, but she went inside. After this incident, Jitendra Singh began frequenting Kalawati’s in-laws’ house to have a look at Kalawati when her husband and father-in-law were away selling toddy. Whenever he did not get to see Kalawati, he would get annoyed and would ask her father-in-law where she was. Kalawati’s father-in-law used to ignore Jitendra’s remarks, remaining absorbed in his own concerns.

Kalawati’s husband Suresh sometimes travelled to Aurangabad town for daily wage labour.  His parents, meanwhile, worked in Jitendra Singh’s fields from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., when they would come home for a lunch break, and then again in the afternoon. Apparently interested in luring Kalawati out of her house, in January 2003 Jitendra Singh told Suresh’s parents that he suffered losses due to their going home for lunch and asked them to tell their youngest daughter-in-law to bring them their midday meal in the fields. “Otherwise,” he told them, “You can look for work elsewhere.” Suresh’s parents were frightened at the thought of being unemployed, as they knew that their traditional occupation of toddy tapping was only seasonal and could not provide for their livelihood. As their other three daughters-in-law stayed at their own homes, they were forced to ask Kalawati to bring them their midday food.  For eight days, Kalawati brought them their food in the fields without event. On the ninth day, in early February 2003, Kalawati was as usual taking food for her in-laws.  On the way to the fields lay Jitendra’s cabin.  Jitendra, anticipating her approach, intercepted Kalawati near his cabin and said to her, “Put the food in the cabin.  Your in-laws are working some distance from here and they will come here to eat today.” Kalawati complied.  As soon as she entered inside the cabin, however, Jitendra blocked her exit and said, “If you make even a sound, I will rape you and murder you.” 

Kalawati ignored this, resisted him and shouted for help. Furious, Jitendra forced her onto the ground and started tearing her clothes off. Kalawati resisted by pulling his hair and even spat at him, but soon she was overpowered.  Jitendra forcibly raped Kalawati.  After that Kalawati started crying and told Jitendra that she would tell people about what he had done. Jitendra replied, “Look, don’t go and make a commotion about this. It’ll be you who gets disgraced and in any case, if you try to put a case against me, it will never get anywhere, because in this area, my family holds sway.”  On hearing this Kalawati grew frightened.  Seeing her scared, Jitendra again started kissing her all over and again raped her. Afterward he said, “I like you very much.  Stay a while and let me enjoy you some more.  I’ll give you some money for this, too, don’t worry.” Kalawati has not told anyone about the rape.  This was primarily due to the fact that she thought she and her family would get a bad name.  She thinks that she will never get justice. For the last ten years, Kalawati’s father-in-law’s mother (75 years) has been living on a small plot of land (two katthas, or less than 1 acre) belonging to the Irrigation Department along the roadside. There are seven other families – belonging to Backward Castes and Scheduled Castes, including Kumhar, Lohar, Dusadh, Pasi and Chamar castes – who have also captured some land and have been living there for many years.  Kalawati’s grandmother-in-law lived there in a shed for ten years, but otherwise Kalawati’s in-laws did not cultivate the small plot of land. In 2001, however, Kalawati’s father-in-law Moti Chaudhury (50 years) began deliberately occupying that piece of land and cultivating it.  Once they started cultivating it, they also built a small mud hut on the land and placed a charpoy (wooden cot) there for sleeping.  Kalawati and her husband stayed in the family’s home in the village, while Kalawati’s in-laws stayed in the hut on the cultivated land.  They also planted some vegetables on that land and kept part of the land as a ‘kalihaan’ (a smooth place cleared of pebbles and rubbish, where one can thresh one’s wheat) during the harvesting season for their harvested crop.

The local dominant caste landlords, however, opposed the idea of a Dalit family occupying this piece of land.  In particular, dominant caste landlord Ramdev Singh (FC Rajput) was a strong opponent. Ramdev Singh’s family is extremely prominent and influential in the village, and the panchayat mukhiya (panchayat head) is known to be their supporter.  Ramdev Singh’s three sons – Upender Singh, Dharam Singh and Bahira Singh – along with their cousin Jaganarain Singh together own 90 bighas (40 acres) of land in Nathu Bigha, adjacent to Dudhela village. These Rajput landlords historically have taken possession of any government land or private land that becomes available. They also wanted to dispossess Kalawati Devi and her family of their small plot of land. Once Kalawati’s family began cultivating the land, the Rajputs began making threatening remarks, such as “You’re determined to get beaten up, aren’t you?  Are you sure you want to occupy this land?”  The Rajput men made these comments publicly in the village, particularly to Kalawati’s mother-in-law Gemini Devi. Kalawati’s mother-in-law sometimes replied, saying, “Yes, we’re occupying the land; where else should we go?” The Rajputs also threatened Kalawati whenever she was seen on the plot of land.

One morning in December 2003, at about 7:00 to 8:00 a.m., the Rajputs came to the plot of land in two tractors, armed with weapons.  On seeing the Rajputs armed and clearly intending to attack them and destroy their home, Kalawati’s in-laws fled.  Kalawati, however, remained there and challenged the Rajputs. The attackers – Upender Singh, Dharam Singh, Jaganarain Singh, Halender Singh and Bahira Singh – forcibly seized hold of Kalawati, dragging her about.  As Kalawati resisted them and shouted at them not to attack her home, the Rajput men manhandled her.  Fearing rape, Kalawati then managed to free herself from the assailants and fled the scene.  The Rajputs then destroyed Kalawati’s family’s mud hut and looted their possessions. In their two tractors, the Rajputs rode off with the Dalit family’s thatched roof, the charpoy and household items looted from their hut. Immediately after the incident, Kalawati’s in-laws went to Risiyap police station and narrated the incident to Station Officer Rajesh Kumar Yadav (BC Ahir, 40 years). Station Officer Rajesh Kumar Yadav registered the case and agreed to conduct an inquiry. He assured Kalawati’s family that he would take care of the issue, saying, “Go ahead and grow your vegetables, eat, lay the kalihaan for threshing, there’s no problem at all!”

Accordingly, the Dalit family resumed their visits to the land and again planted vegetables and cleared land for the kalihaan.  In response, the Rajputs went to the police and had a case registered under sec. 107 Cr.P.C., requiring both parties, where tension exists between two communities, to keep the peace.  When Kalawati and her family approached the police, the police advised them to compromise with the Rajputs, as the land ultimately belonged to the Irrigation Department.  For six months Kalawati’s family attended the court dates for the sec. 107 Cr.P.C. proceedings, but the Rajputs did not attend court even once.  The court therefore took no action, and Kalawati and her family were unable to resume their cultivation in peace. The Rajputs’ cavalier attitude toward the court proceedings suggested to Kalawati and her family that the Rajputs had come to an extra-legal understanding with the police. The local mukhiya, Krishna Dubey (FC Brahmin) supported the Rajputs and told Kalawati’s family that if they dropped the police case and abandoned the land, he would give them a house under the Indira Awas Yojana government scheme.  Finally, under pressure from the mukhiya, perpetrators and the police, Kalawati’s family agreed to a “compromise” in April 2004, saying that they would not reconstruct any buildings on the disputed land. The police, however, assured them that they could continue to cultivate the land.  Accordingly, not long after the “compromise” in April 2004, Kalawati’s family planted vegetables on the land.  Immediately, though, Ramdev Singh and his sons destroyed the vegetable crop and planted a crop of daal there instead. Shortly thereafter, Ramdev Singh and his sons arranged for a family of their own caste – Raj Kumar Singh (FC Rajput, 40 years) and his family – to occupy the disputed land.  With Ramdev Singh’s support, Raj Kumar Singh and his family built a brick house with a thatch roof on the land.  Meanwhile mukhiya Krishna Dubey reneged on his promise of providing an Indira Awas Yojana house for Kalawati’s family.

Kalawati and her in-laws live in terror of the dominant caste Rajput perpetrators.  Ramdev Singh and his family are notorious for having murdered two men in the past – one Rajput and one Backward Caste.  On 1 August 1999 Ramdev Singh murdered Rajput Indradev Singh, but escaped prosecution by promising the victim’s son Rs.2 lakhs compensation, which was never given.  One day in 2002, Ramdev Singh was abusing a Backward Caste carpenter whose cattle had strayed into their fields when another Backward Caste man intervened.  Furious, Ramdev Singh shot the interventionist dead.  Despite these two murders, Ramdev Singh and his family continue to move about freely about the village.  Indeed, the impunity enjoyed by the Rajputs has emboldened them to the point that they raise the murders to threaten Kalawati and her family.  During the course of the land dispute, the Rajputs threatened Kalawati’s mother-in-law Gamini Devi, saying, “We committed two murders and nothing happened to us.  If we do something to you also, nothing will happen to us.  We have got our people at every place – court, thana [police station] and district office – and who have you got?  Nobody” Gamini Devi says, “I ran up and down between Risiyap [police station] and Aurangabad [court] and nothing happened.  Finally I gave up.”

The Rajput perpetrators have never been arrested or punished.  The case never progressed to court, and the “compromise” ended in the Rajputs occupying the land.  Fed up with the failure of the government machinery to provide justice at every step, Kalawati and her family have given up hope of obtaining justice.

Marriage and sexual exploitation Gaddam Pushpa Latha (20), belonging to Madiga (SC) caste, is a resident R/o Katiriyal (Village), Ramayampet (mandal), and Medak (D). She fell in love with Kandi Venkata Reddy s/o Shankar Reddy of the same village, and both went out without consent of their parents to Yadagirigutta and married on 02 February 2003. After that they came back to Lingampally in Ranga Reddy district and began to live in a rented house. The victim was working in a Garments shop and the accused (Kandi Venkat Reddy) was working as a private electrician. For two years they lived happily. But, for the last 6 months, her husband Kandi Venkat Reddy abused by her caste name, and beaten her frequently and he quite often spent on the phones calls with his family members like his father and his brothers, and relatives, On 19-7-05 evening the when the victim came to home from her duty she found that her husband and his clothes were missing, She waited for 20 days and there were no sign of intimation from her husband. Later on she called her parents and they took her to her native place, and, with the support of her parents she lodged a complaint in before Sangareddy police station.

A Case was registered Cr. No 07/03, under section 498 (A), 420 IPC and 3(2)(v) SC/ST (PoA) Act. in Ramayampet Police Station. Charge sheet was filed. Compensation not paid to victims. Advocate petition filed under section 310 Cr.P.C. FIR, Complaints given to MRO.

Kallam Laxma Reddy (29), and Chillakanta Venkat Rao (27) caste BC Yadava, murdered Kodali Kishore on 23.01. January 093 by burning him alive using petrol. On the grounds that the deceased and his friends used to harass Kallam Laxma Reddy demanding money and supply of liquor, and on the night of Bogi festival one of the accuser’s uncle gave the suggestion to eliminate deceased Kishore. Accordingly accused planed and offered liquor to Deceased Kishore and asked him to get into the van, while getting in deceased saw a woman inside the van and asked accused who is this woman, accused did not answer and proceeded mean while the women in the van started falling on deceased for which he asked the women to stay away. Mean while accused took the van to petrol bunk at Telaprolu Junction purchased three bottles of petrol proceed to the seen of offence where in already Chillakanta Venkat Rao was waiting both of them pushed deceased out of the van poured petrol on him and set ablaze.

Cr. No. 18/03, u/s 174 CrPCCr.P.C, 302, 201 r/w 34 IPC, 3 (2) (v) SC&ST Act, police station Gannavaram Case was acquittal .all 4 accused person died. compensation got

Chauthi Devi lives with her husband in Aluda village in Dausa District. Her husband works as a daily wage laborer.  At the day of incident, on November 29, 2002 around 11 am her husband was out for work and Chauthi Devi was feeding her child at her house. Suddenly Gulya Mali entered her room and closed the door. Gulya Mali grasped her both hands and flung her over the bed. Chauthi Devi shouted but Gulya shut her mouth by a handkerchief. Then he removed Chauthi’s lower wear and forcedly raped her. Chauthi Devi tried her best to rescue herself; she kicked him but Gulya did not give up and abused her in the name of caste and threatened her. Listening clamor, nearby people came to see what has happened. On seeing others coming, Gulya ran away from there. Because of the struggle to rescue, Chauthi Devi got injured very badly. She got so many injuries at various parts of her body. Somehow Chauthi Devi came out of her room and told her Uncle & Doctor Sunil about the whole incident. They then told her husband when he came back in evening. Next day Chauthi Devi & her husband went to the Police Station to lodge an FIR. The Local police registered Chauthi Devi’s FIR in appropriate sections and started investigation. Same day of registering FIR, Chauthi Devi was sent for medical examination to the Government hospital. Chauthi Devi and her family were threatened by the accused to withdraw the case otherwise they will have to leave the village. She reported this in Police but Police did nothing in this regard. Even in all these circumstances Chauthi Devi didn’t give up and didn’t compromise with the accused. She left the village due to accused; her husband was beaten very badly by the accused.

The Local police registered Chauthi Devi’s FIR. Initially local police was not ready to register the case but somehow her husband was successful in lodging FIR. Copy of FIR was not given to him in spite of repetitive requests. Thereafter Chauthi Devi was sent for medical examination to the Government hospital. Chauthi Devi and her family were threatened by the accused to withdraw the case otherwise they will have to leave the village. She reported this in Police but Police did nothing in this regard. Accused was not arrested by the Police even after very long time. Once Chauthi Devi’s husband informed Police about the place where accused was; Police with Chauthi’s husband went to that place to arrest him but even in the presence of Police, accused brutally beaten up her husband. The police stood aside and watched the ‘game’ but did not come forward to rescue the poor man. Because of the threats and terror, Chauthi Devi and her family left the village and migrated to another place but the accused found them out in 15 days and threatened them to compromise.

On 21 April 2003, Chauthi Devi’s statement was recorded under section 164 of Cr.P.C after 5 months from the date of incident. Chauthi Devi clearly stated about the forced intercourse with her by the accused even then on 6th June 2003, the sitting Judge Chandra Kala Gupta released the accused on bail. As the accused was released on bail, he started threatening Chauthi Devi and family and compelled them to leave the village. During trial Chauthi Devi presented an application alleging that she has been continuously threatened by the accused to leave the villag. Later on the case was decided on January 8th, 2004 and the accused was punished.