Dalit power engineer attacked in Ballia office, FIR against local neta
Lucknow: A Dalit superintending engineer (SE) was allegedly assaulted, abused with caste slurs and given death threat by a group led by a local politician in the Ballia office of the Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (PuVVNL). According to the FIR lodged by SE Lal Singh, 20–25 men led by Munna Bahadur Singh forcibly entered his office around 12.30pm on Saturday and attacked him without provocation. They hurled caste-based abuses and kicked and punched him, Singh alleged. “Munna Bahadur Singh tried to drag me out of my office. His associates vandalized the office and documents on my desk. When my clerk and computer operator, Jitendra Kumar Yadav, tried to intervene, he too was attacked. Despite the presence of other staff, no one came forward to stop them,” Singh stated in his complaint. He expressed concern for his and his family’s safety, citing ongoing threats from the accused. The FIR has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 121(1), 132, 115(2), 352, 351(3), and 324(4), along with relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (as amended in 2015), including sections 3(1)(d), 3(1)(dh), and 3(2)(va). The Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Parishad Abhiyanta Sangh condemned the incident and has appealed to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to take strict action against the accused and expedite the enactment of the long-pending Engineer Protection Act. “If the highest-ranking officer in a district is not safe, how can other employees feel secure?” said association general secretary Jitendra Singh Gurjar. The association pointed to a similar incident on July 24 in Kushinagar, where SDO Shubham Agrahari was assaulted inside his office. Despite a complaint being filed, no FIR has been registered till date. Gurjar criticized the energy department for its inaction, saying that engineers—who play a vital role in revenue generation and ensuring uninterrupted power supply—are being left vulnerable. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Safai Karmi dies of electrocution in Chennai: Angry community says- Such an incident every month, how long will Dalit women have to sacrifice?
The Tamil Nadu government has announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹5 lakh to the bereaved family, along with guaranteed employment for one family member at GCC. Chennai – A sample of the dangerous conditions under which sanitation workers have to work in the city came to light recently. In a heart-wrenching incident, R. Varalakshmi, a 30-year-old conservancy worker of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), died of electrocution early Saturday morning in Kannagi Nagar. Varalakshmi lived in a rehabilitation colony in South Chennai, which mainly houses the Dalit community. Varalakshmi, who is survived by her husband and two young children, was on her way to begin her morning cleaning duty when she accidentally stepped into stagnant rainwater that was covered by a broken electrical power cable. The incident, which occurred amid heavy rains in parts of Tamil Nadu, has once again highlighted how waterlogging in low-lying areas like Kannagi Nagar, a slum area known for inadequate infrastructure and flood susceptibility, is marred by administrative negligence. Eyewitnesses said a broken cable, possibly damaged by torrential rains, was carelessly left on the flooded road, killing a sanitation worker. Varalakshmi, who had been employed as a contracted sanitation worker for several years, collapsed after coming in contact with the live wire and was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was declared dead on arrival. Local residents and activists attributed her death to administrative negligence, including lack of timely maintenance by the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) and GCC’s negligence in preventing recurring problems in flood-prone slums. The incident could have been avoided had Tangedco fulfilled its responsibility, a community organiser in Kannagi Nagar said. Following the incident, users on social media platforms have been expressing their outrage over the systemic neglect towards the safety of workers. This is the fifth electric shock-related death in Chennai in the last seven weeks, four of which occurred during the recent rains, raising concerns over the city’s preparedness for monsoon challenges, said Dalit rights activist and author Shalin Maria Lawrence. Varalakshmi’s family has demanded accountability and compensation. The DMK-led Tamil Nadu government has announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹5 lakh to the bereaved family, as well as guaranteed employment for a family member at GCC. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin expressed condolences through a statement, directing officials to investigate the incident and expedite infrastructure improvements in vulnerable neighbourhoods. Critics from labour rights groups, however, argue that such reactive measures are inadequate, demanding mandatory safety equipment, mechanised cleaning tools and strict enforcement of protocols to protect sanitation workers who are mainly from marginalised Dalit communities. The GCC has launched an inquiry into the cable break, blaming it on weather conditions, but has not commented on wider safety lapses. Geetha Sunil Pillai Courtesy : Hindi News
The Mooknayak Impact: Dalit settlement in Amreli, Gujarat gets permanent drainage solution, report sent to Scheduled Caste Commission
The Amreli District Panchayat Office announced the construction of an underground drainage system in the SC area as a permanent solution. The project is funded under the 15th Finance Commission (rural component) and 10% district-level Finance Commission grant. The Gram Panchayat has passed the necessary resolutions for this. Amreli- There is a relief news for the Scheduled Caste (SC) community in Jaswantgadh village in Amreli district of Gujarat. The problem of sewage diversion here has now been resolved. On June 25, The Mooknayak published a report titled “In this village of Gujarat, upper castes released dirty water in Dalit settlement, administration mute spectator!”. The report said that the upper caste residents of the village had deliberately dumped their underground drainage system into an open monsoon drain near Dr. Ambedkar Colony, which is a predominantly SC settlement. This led to the garbage and faeces from their homes accumulating near the Ambedkar colony. After the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) intervened after the problem was highlighted, the gram panchayat has now passed proposals for an underground drainage system in the Dalit basti. The Mooknayak reported that the drain diverted to the Dalit basti, which was meant only for rainwater, became a drain that flowed into the houses with filth and faeces. Residents described it as a “permanent swamp of humiliation”. During rains, dirty water would flood their homes, increasing health risks. With an Anganwadi centre nearby, children were at risk of waterborne diseases and long-term developmental risks. Local health workers reported alarming mosquito infestations and a rise in diseases. Despite repeated complaints to the gram panchayat, taluka panchayat and the district administration, no action was taken. Local media Khabarantar highlighted the crisis, which led to The Mooknayak reporting and bringing it to national attention. Social activist Kirit Rathore, who provided photographic evidence and testimonies, said, “This is not just poor drainage; it is a well-planned form of caste oppression. Upper castes are using garbage as a weapon to humiliate Dalits.” Based on The Mooknayak report, T. Emmanuel Dhinakaran, former state co-incharge of the BJP Tamil Nadu Minority Morcha and a proponent of social justice, raised the issue before the NCSC. In his petition, Dhinakaran called the episode a “blatant violation of the constitutional rights of Dalits” and sought immediate action. His efforts garnered widespread support for the issue, cutting across political boundaries. “This is not a question of sanitation, but of dignity and equality,” he said. On 9 July 2025, just two weeks after The Mooknayak report, the NCSC began a formal investigation. The commission issued notices to the Amreli district collector, the district development officer (DDO) and the Scheduled Caste Welfare Department of Gujarat. The letter (reference number ESDW/BE/GJ/2025/300700, dated 7 July 2025) sought an action report within 15 days and warned of summons under Article 338 of the Constitution on non-compliance. In this village of Gujarat, upper castes released dirty water in Dalit settlement, administration mute spectator! In response to the NCSC’s direction, the Amreli district panchayat office submitted an action report (number PNC/8/Mis/Jashwantgadh/1012-1015/2025) on August 2. This letter, written to the NCSC Deputy Director in Ahmedabad, acknowledged that due to heavy rains, garbage had accumulated in the open drain, causing sanitation problems. The gram panchayat immediately started cleaning work with a JCB machine and the area was completely cleaned. Photographic evidence was also attached to confirm the work. Most importantly, the report announced a permanent solution: construction of an underground drainage system in the SC area. The project is funded under the 15th Finance Commission (rural component) and a 10% district-level Finance Commission grant. The gram panchayat has passed the necessary resolutions for it. “We have cleared the area and are committed to a long-term solution,” the letter said. As of August 24, local sources confirmed that the clearing had mitigated the immediate hazards and that preliminary work for the underground drainage system had begun, with completion expected in the next few months. Geetha Sunil Pillai Courtesy : Hindi News
New twist in gang rape of Dalit girl: Family alleges- Police made them change the FIR thrice, accused are pressurizing for compromise
New facts have come to light in the gang rape case of a 14-year-old Dalit girl in Kakwan area of Kanpur. The victim’s family presented their plight in front of MLA Rahul Bachcha Sonkar. The family said that the police made them change the FIR thrice. The victim was made to wander between Kakwan and Kalyanpur for medical examination. This is what happened The incident happened on Wednesday night. When the girl went to the field to defecate, four youths of the village caught her. Arun and Nikku held the girl’s hands and feet, while Ravindra and Deepu raped her. The accused also threatened to kill the girl. The police have arrested all the four accused and sent them to jail. The pain of the victim’s family spilled in front of the MLA The family members say that the police did not let them meet their daughter for 24 hours. Now the family members of the accused are pressurizing them to settle the case by giving money through other people. Villagers said that due to political animosity, the village head did not give the benefit of government toilet to about 50 families, while one thousand rupees were charged from each. BDO made for commission in drains and roads The MLA expressed displeasure over the negligence of the BDO in this matter. When the BDO did not pick up the phone, he talked to the DPRO and CDO and asked whether the BDO is made only to earn commission in drains and roads. Why has the BDO not reached the village yet? Why have the villagers not got the benefit of the toilet scheme yet? The government gives money, it does not go from the pockets of the officials. Assurance of all possible help The MLA assured the victim’s family that there is no need to fear anyone. If there is any problem, call us immediately. On the complaint of the villagers that the accused families have forcibly occupied the land of the village society and built a house, he called the Tehsildar and directed him to investigate the matter and take strict action. Anand Kumar Tiwari Courtesy: Hindi News
Insulting Dalits and backward classes is Akhilesh’s innate disease, alleges Keshav Prasad Maurya
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya Sunday, slammed Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav, alleging that ”oppressing the Dalits and backward classes was his ‘innate disease’. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya Sunday, slammed Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav, alleging that ”oppressing the Dalits and backward classes was his ‘innate disease’. He has said that Akhilesh, who sings the tune of fake PDA — (Pichde (backward classes), Dalit and Alpasankhyak (minorities) — forgets to pay tribute to former Chief Minister Kalyan Singh ‘Babu Ji’ on his death anniversary. Writing on his social media account X, Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya said that ,”SP president Akhilesh Yadav, who sings the tune of fake PDA, forgets to pay tribute to former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Kalyan Singh ‘Babu Ji’, who comes from backward class, on his death anniversary in the greed for Muslim votes. Not only this, he showed no leniency in removing his party’s MLA Pooja Pal Ji, who comes from the same class”. Maurya further wrote, ”In fact, mafia, criminals, and hooliganism are the identity of SP, which does family politics.” Two days ago, during a programme organised in Aligarh on the death anniversary of Kalyan Singh, CM Yogi Adityanath attacked the opposition and said that ”The people who are dividing society in the name of PDA (Parivaar Development Authority) today, the same people used to incite riots and ban Hindu festivals. They used to ban the Kanwar Yatra, obstruct Durga Puja, and Dussehra festivals. When riots used to happen, violence erupted in Aligarh, Bareilly, Muzaffarnagar, and Meerut. Then, these people did not speak in favour of the oppressed Hindus, Dalits, and backward classes; then only the BJP stood with them.” Courtesy : The Statesman Note: This news is originally published on https:/thestatesman.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Akhilesh, Stalin, Soren to join Rahul’s poll yatra
NEW DELHI: The ongoing ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ of Rahul Gandhi-Tejashwi Yadav is set to become a show of opposition unity, with senior netas of regional parties scheduled to join the 16-day roadshow ahead of its culmination in Patna on September 1. While Tamil Nadu CM and DMK chief MK Stalin will join the yatra on Aug 27, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav will be part of the show on Aug 30. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and other opposition netas will also join the yatra in coming days. Among Congress CMs turning up for the roadshow are Karnataka’s Siddaramaiah, Telangana’s Revanth Reddy and Himachal’s Sukhwinder Sukhu. MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be part of the yatra for two days on Aug 26 and 27. The roadshow designed to take forward opposition’s offensive of “vote chori” came after a rare unity in anti-BJP ranks which even led to a washout of proceedings in the just-concluded Monsoon session of Parliament. The participation of non-Congress stalwarts is seen as a fillip for the agenda which would also send out a message to BJP. Given that Bihar assembly polls will be announced after a few weeks, RJD and Congress also hope that it would boost the profile of the anti-BJP alliance and provide further traction with the people ahead of the tough contest Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Bihar has become epicentre of unemployment: Rahul
Patna: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that Bihar had become the “epicentre of unemployment” in the country and tops national charts for joblessness. Addressing a public meeting, Rahul alleged that young people in Bihar were being deprived of all avenues of employment. “The BJP govt had shut all the doors for the youth through which they could get jobs,” he said. He attributed the surge in unemployment to the closure of small and medium industries, which he blamed on demonetisation and the “wrong implementation of the GST”. The Congress leader also accused the BJP of attempting to manipulate Bihar’s upcoming elections by purging names from the voter rolls. “Now the BJP was trying to steal the elections in Bihar by deleting the names of lakhs of voters from electoral rolls in the state. This will not be allowed to happen in Bihar,” he said. Rahul framed the situation as part of what he described as a larger ideological struggle. “This is part of the bigger ideological battle between the forces which wanted to divide people and those who wanted to unite them,” he said. He recalled how Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse, arguing that it was because Gandhi opposed an ideology that went against the values enshrined in the Constitution. “Mahatma Gandhi was killed by Godse just because he was opposed to the ideology enshrined in the Constitution, for which Gandhi ji devoted his entire life,” Rahul said. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
‘Voter Adhikaar Yatra’: Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav ride bikes in Purnea; watch
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his RJD ally Tejashwi Yadav were seen riding motorbikes on the eighth day of their “Vote Adhikaar Yatra” at Purnea in poll-bound Bihar. While both leaders and their security personnel wore helmets, many supporters on two-wheelers flouted traffic rules by riding without helmets. On Saturday, while passing through Kursela, leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi made an unscheduled halt at Makhana fields near Simaria, where he interacted with farmers to learn about the cultivation process, yields, and export potential of Bihar’s famed fox nut. Farmers shared their concerns, pointing to exploitation by middlemen and the absence of fair pricing mechanisms. Gandhi noted that while Makhana fetches around Rs 700 per kg locally, it is sold abroad, including in the US, at several times that price, underscoring the lack of government support for producers. Bihar Congress president Rajesh Ram echoed the sentiment, saying that despite rising global demand, farmers and fishermen remain trapped by middlemen and denied a fair share of profits. Why Vote Adhikaar Yatra? The Vote Adhikaar Yatra is a mass outreach kicked off by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to highlight what he calls an attack on the core principle of democracy, the right to vote. Covering more than 1,300 kilometres across over 20 districts, the Yatra seeks to mobilise people against alleged “irregularities” in the revision of electoral rolls during the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The opposition has alleged that the process is being “manipulated to delete the names of poor, minorities, and migrant workers, amounting to a new form of vote theft”. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Kerala: Elder who saved tribal missing, serious allegations against farm-stay owner, FIR registered
75-year-old tribal Thirunavukkarasu mysteriously missing, disappearance creates panic after rescuing Vellayan from farm-stay. Palakkad/Kerala: The Kollengod police have registered an FIR on the complaint of Mariyappan K., state president of the Tribal Protection Organization. The complaint states that his relative and 75-year-old tribal elder Thirunavukkarasu has been missing since around 11 pm on Thursday night. Thirunavukkarasu is the same person who first exposed the plight of 54-year-old Chambukkuzhi Vellayan. Vellayan, who hails from the Eravallan tribe and lives in Muchakundu in Muthalamada, was allegedly held hostage for five days at a farm-stay called Western Gateways. The farm-stay is located near the Oorkkulam forest. It is alleged that the owner and the employees kept Vellayan locked in a room, starved him and beat him. Thirunavukkarasu immediately informed the local tribal activists and public representatives about this. After this, Vellayan was rescued from there with the help of Kollengod police and social workers. But, according to Mariyappan, “As soon as the Vellayan incident came to light, Thirunavukkarasu suddenly disappeared. He was nowhere to be seen even when we were rescuing Vellayan.” Allegations against farm-stay owner The complaint states that farm-stay owner Prabhu may have a hand in Thirunavukkarasu’s disappearance, as he knew a lot about the illegal activities going on in the farm-stay. Kollengod police said, “We received the complaint late Friday night and we have registered an FIR under Section 57 (attempt to trace a missing person) of the Kerala Police Act 2011. Investigation into the case has been started.” At present, Prabhu and some of his employees are absconding. The police have registered a case against Prabhu for attempt to murder and under the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. At the same time, Prabhu’s mother Ranganayaki has been detained by the police in the Vellayan case. How did the incident happen? Muthalamada Gram Panchayat’s former president and current member Kalpana Devi said that on August 17 (Sunday), Vellayan had gone to the farm-stay for labor. There he drank the liquor kept in the premises. Angered by this, Prabhu and his employees locked him in a room. Vellayan said that he was given food only once a day, but was often beaten and kicked. He remained imprisoned in the farm-stay for about five days. He was admitted to the Palakkad District Hospital early Friday morning and was discharged the same evening. Strictness of the government and the commission Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Backward Class Welfare Minister O.R. Kelu has sought an immediate report from the Director of the Tribal Development Department on this incident. At the same time, the Scheduled Caste/Tribe Commission has also sought a separate report from the Palakkad District Police Chief. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
Lucknow: Advocate Parmanand Gupta sentenced to life imprisonment – 29 fake cases registered using Dalit woman’s identity
A special court in Lucknow sentenced advocate Parmanand Gupta to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5.10 lakh, he had registered fake cases by misusing the identity of a Dalit woman. Uttar Pradesh: A special court in Lucknow has sentenced advocate Parmanand Gupta to life imprisonment and also imposed a fine of Rs 5.10 lakh on him. The court found Gupta guilty of misusing the identity of a Dalit woman to register dozens of fake cases against his opponents. According to media reports, while delivering the verdict on Tuesday, Special Judge (SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act) Vivekanand Sharan Tripathi held Gupta guilty of conspiracy and misuse of law. The court found that Gupta had registered several fake cases in the name of Pooja Rawat, a Dalit woman, to target his rival Arvind Yadav and his family. Special Public Prosecutor Arvind Mishra said that Gupta had registered at least 18 cases in his name and 11 cases in the name of Rawat. Most of these were registered against Yadav and his family. These false cases included serious allegations like rape and molestation. The whole matter came to light when questions were raised on the complaints during the hearing in the Allahabad High Court. After this, reports were sought from the concerned police stations. Finally, the High Court ordered a CBI inquiry into the matter on 5 March 2025. The investigation revealed that Gupta used Rawat’s Dalit identity to trap the Yadav family. But the investigation made it clear that Rawat was not present at the spot at the time of the alleged incidents and the house she was claiming to rent was actually under construction by the Yadav family. Later on 4 August 2025, Rawat himself applied to the court and told that he was trapped by Gupta and his wife Sangeeta, who runs a beauty parlor. Rawat worked as an assistant in that parlor. He admitted in the court that he was forced to give false statements of sexual abuse before the magistrate under pressure. After this, the court granted him conditional pardon. The court said in its verdict that Gupta knowingly conspired for serious charges, which could have resulted in life imprisonment. Therefore, he should get severe punishment. While pronouncing the sentence, the court gave Gupta life imprisonment and ordered that a copy of the verdict be sent to the Uttar Pradesh Bar Council, so that “such a criminal lawyer Parmanand Gupta cannot enter the court premises and cannot practice, so that the dignity of the judiciary is maintained.” Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy : Hindi News