Agadala Parvathi (17 age) belonging to tribal community was studying Intermediate course II year in Tekkili Junior college. She hails from Peddalogidi village in Peddalogidi panchayat from Pathapatnam mandal of Srikakulam District of Andhra Pradesh. On 16-08-2017, she did not return home from college, the parents felt that should would have gone to relatives place. On 22-8-2017, Parvathi was found hanging to a mango tree with chunni in the agricultre field of Bypothu Krishnamurthy. A case was registered US/174 of Cr.Pc.(death by hanging) by the police in Pathapatnam PS, Srikakulam District of Andhra Pradesh. 

On 28-08-2017, the parents of Parvathi came to know that one Bandi Rajarao (20 years) beloging to BC community, had forced her to fall in love with him, and later continuously was sexually asulting the victim by taking her to different location. When Paravathi raised the question of marriage, he scholded her by her caste name and renounced that as she belongs to lower caste he will not marry her. on the fatefulday a qurell took place between them and Rajarao was shouting on her about her lower caste status that its better she dies and he will not marry her. One Chakali Chinnamma who saw the incident inforrmed the parents. The parents approached the police with a complaint against Bandi Rajarao and the narrating the sequence of events.  The police as per the copy of the compalint altered the sections in crime no. 58/2017 U/s - 306 IPC and U/s Sec 3(1)(r)(s), 2(v)(a) of SC/ST POA act 1989, amended in 2015 from Sec.174 of Cr.Pc.

Its been a month since the FIR has altered but no action has been taken against accused so far by the police.  The local traible leaders and organisations, women\'s groups have been agitating for the past 15 days as relay hunger strike asking for CBI investigation into the incident. They have approached the state SC/ST commission also. All the local political party leaders from CPI, YSRCP and other civll society organisations of Adivasis have supported these protest programmes by the victims parents and their villagers. 

On 01/10/2017 the victims along with village leaders approached Chittibabu seeking support and solidarity in accesing justice for Parvathi. 

The accused namely Lalit Kumar sahoo @ Babuli on the day of the occurrence at about 5.00 p.m. abused the complainant and her family members including women members with vulgar language and humiliated with by taking their caste names. When the women protested, the accused and his son Subhrajit Sahoo @ Tana physically abused them and tried to disrobe her. At that moment husband of the victim reached and tried to protect the woman and son. By then the accused, Lalit and Subhrajit Sahoo @ Tana assaulted with deadly weapon and threatened to murder and rape the victims.  The husband of Dali Jena namely Satrughan Jena severely attacked by the accused persons sustained injuries in his hand and son of the complainant, Manas  (19 years) had injury near the eye and strain in the neck. Allegedly, the accused persons are gundas and Dali Jena and her family members were tortured physically and mentally for last 10 years. They were silent due to fear.

On dated 25.07.2016 at about 11:00 a.m. the Marketing Inspector (M.I.) of Salepur Block area namely Himanshu Bhusan Sahoo and another person namely Sania Swain, a local grassroots politician, both of them came to the victim’s house and called the victim’s husband namely Jayadev Mallik. Jayadev was not present at home and Kaushalya Mallik asked, why they were searching for her husband. She told whether there was any work with him. They said that they had come to carry out enquiry for issuance of ration cards. Further they said that their ration card will be cancelled as they have a building. Then the victim said the government has made provision for the SC & ST people why they will cancel the ration card. Suddenly the prime accused i.e. Marketing Inspector Himansu Bhusan Sahoo said “Pana Paluni bi Sarakari Yojna bisayare Janileni, Chhan Gandire Kila Pasigale card nei pheri dei asibe. Paluninka budhi Hajijiba.” (Men and women from Pana caste have known about government schemes. They themselves will return the ration card when they will be taken to task) (The sentences were derogatory with respect to use of caste name, as well as use of obscene language)

The victim was shocked to hear such language from a government servant. Her sister in law was also present. The victim asked, “Why you are talking in such language?” The M.I. and his accompany moved without paying heed to her question.

The victim Kaushalya Mallik lodged a written complaint in the nearby Police Station. But the complaint was not registered as FIR. The complainant and her husband were pressurized to compromise and withdraw the complaint. She was advised by us to send a petition to the Suptd. Of Police, Cuttack, this was sent through registered post on 1.8.16. Still the FIR was not registered. Then a second petition was drafted by us and the victim met the S.P., Cuttack personally on 16.9.16. Basing on the intervention of the S.P. the FIR was registered on 29.9.16.

 Despite all these, the investigation of the case did not follow; neither arrest nor relief was taken up. The victim complained repeatedly with us. Finally a detailed fact finding was done on 4.2.17.

Nuapatana is a hamlet village under revenue village Goruala which is also a Gram Panchayat consisting of 7 hamlet villages. There is the tradition of electing President of the village who is also known as President of Sata pada (7 hamlets). The president takes decision in case of any dispute and all the villages are expected to abide by it.

The number of families living in the main village is approximately 1000 households whereas in Nuapatana hamlet village, it is almost 100 households. Out of 100 households, there are 19 families from Dhoba Caste, 45 households from Khandayat Caste, 25 households from Gola Caste, 10 households of Kumbharas, 2 families each from Gouda & Gudia Caste and 1 family from Kandara Caste.

The Dhoba Caste persons, although are engaged in other activities and jobs do profess their Caste profession of washing clothes. They render service to entire Satapada (7 hamlets). A natural drainage (water body) passing-by Nuapatana has been developed into 6 big ponds. 5 of the ponds are enjoyed by the advanced Caste persons and used for fisheries; the smallest pond was allotted by the village Committee of Sata Pada to the Dhobis in order to provide them a place for washing ghat. The allotted pond was called “Dhoba khala”. The dalits cleaned and developed the pond and a project for construction of washing Ghat was sanctioned by the local MLA under LAD fund. The dalits arranged the site for construction of washing ghat. The advanced Caste people gathered in a meeting on 30^th evening and attacked the dalit sahi at about 10 PM.

It is evident that untouchability is practiced by the advanced Caste persons of Nuapatana. The dalits are not allowed to go the village temple. Utensils for cooking village feast were purchased from the common village fund but it was not given to the dalits for use. The dalits are not allowed to use Govt tube well baring just one which is earmarked for their Sahi. The produce from the common resource properties are not shared with dalits. All though dalits contributed with money and labour for plantation of coconut tree, development of ponds, they are not given share. The dalits are subjugated and treated as second class citizens. For each and every small incident they are scolded with filthy language and humiliated with their Caste name.

The dalit have reported many incidents of torture and atrocities to the local police and administration. Two of the complaints were registered as FIR No 190 dated 30.7.2016 under section 294, 34, of IPC and 3of SC & ST PoA Act and as FIR No 309 dated 14.12.2016 under sections 294, 323, 506, 341, 34, of IPC and 3 (i) (r) (s) of SC & ST PoA Act.

On 30.05.2017 night the advanced Caste persons joined together as unruly mob and attacked the dalits with weapons. They broke open doors of houses, destroyed televisions sets, electric meters, cut down standing trees, cut appart cement bags, looted crop sacks, articles, valuables & set on fire one thatched house, sexually assaulted women and created terror in the dalit Sahi. 7 dalits have sustained injuries. Written complaint was filed about the occurrence with the Police and FIR No 150 was registered on 31.05.2017 under sections 147, 148, 341, 323, 452, 427, 379, 354-A, 345-B, 439, 149, 294, of IPC and 3(i) (r) (s) (w) (2) (va) of SC & ST PoA Act.

Kumarpur is a village in Kumarpur GP under Gurudijhatia Police Station in Cuttack district. The village consists of 30 families each from Pana & Bauri Caste, 8 Dhoba families (all from SC category), 12-14 families from Sabar (Saar) community (ST Category), 10-15 families of Brahmins, 30-35 families of Chasa Caste, 30 families from Sundhi and few Gouda & Bania families. The Brahmins are affluent families almost all families have Government employees. But the SC families are mostly poor, daily labourers and rickshaw pullers. Among the dalits (SCs) there are 7-10 matriculates and one person has passed +2. Nearly 15 families are homestead less and 5 persons in different lowly placed Government jobs.

There is untouchability and Caste Based Discrimination (CBD) in the village. The dalits are barred from entering into Grama Devati temple. The system of separate tea cups/ glasses for dalits in the tea /Tiffin shop is prevalent. The Dhoba caste persons serve the advanced caste persons under bondage but not the dalits. They do not dine in the feast organised by other dalit castes.

It is politically sensitive village as Sri Ranjan Acharya, Ex-Chairman, Athagarh Block hails from this village (Kumarpur Sasan). The dalits of the village are mostly rickshaw pullers at Cuttack. On 11.04.2017 at about 7 AM when the dalits were starting off for Gurudijhatia Railway Station, they were obstructed by the general caste people. It was followed by pelting of stone and bottle. By 11 am it was full-fledged mass attack. The advanced caste persons assaulted the dalits with various weapons and burnt their houses putting petrol & other inflammable liquid on to it. By this 12 houses were burnt and 5 persons sustained grievous injuries.

written complaints were filed by both the parties at Gurudijhatia P.S.Three complaints filed by dalits were registered as FIR No. 58 u/s 341, 336, 427, 452, 323, 380, 294, 34 of IPC & 3(1)(c)(t)(w)(2)(va) of SC&ST PoA Act, FIR No. 60 u/s 147, 148, 341, 294, 506, 436, 324, 149, of IPC & 3 (1)(r)(s)(2)(va) of SC&ST PoA Act and FIR No. 61 dated 12.04.2017 u/c 147, 148, 341, 324, 506, 436, 427, 149, of IPC & 3 (1)(r)(s)(2)(va) of SC&ST PoA Act. At the same time seven FIRs were registered against dalits complained by advanced caste persons.

It was learnt that the prime cause of the attack was voting in last Panchayat elections. In that election Dipak S/o Ranjan Acharya was the Sarapanch Candidate. The dalits did not vote in favour of Dipak which gave rise to the animosity.