Maharashtra: Dalit Mahasangh chief murdered in Sangli home; eight booked
The incident occurred on Tuesday at midnight when Mohite was celebrating his birthday in his home near Garpir Dargah Chowk area, police said. A group of men armed with knives, iron rods, and sticks started hurling abuses at Mohite after guests left the spot and arrangements were being wrapped up. The founder president of a Dalit outfit was allegedly stabbed to death by eight men in Sangli city when he was celebrating his birthday in his home, a crime suspected to be the fallout of a dispute, police said on Wednesday. The slain leader, identified as Uttam Mohite, 38, was the founder of Dalit Mahasangh. One of the attackers, identified as Shahrukh Rafiq Shaikh (26), suffered a severe injury during the scuffle, leading to his death on Wednesday morning at a hospital, according to police. The incident occurred on Tuesday at midnight when Mohite was celebrating his birthday in his home near Garpir Dargah Chowk area, police said. A group of men armed with knives, iron rods, and sticks started hurling abuses at Mohite after guests left the spot and arrangements were being wrapped up. Sensing danger to his life, Mohite ran inside his home while being chased by attackers. They stabbed Mohite multiple times in the stomach and chest, and hit him on his head and arms with iron rods and sticks. During the scuffle, one of the attackers, Shaikh, sustained a severe stab injury on his thigh, apparently by mistake, police said. Mohite was rushed to the Sangli Civil Hospital by his nephew, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Meanwhile, the attackers carried severely injured Khan to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday morning, police said. A police official said on Wednesday that Mohite and one of the accused, Ganesh More, had a brief argument during the birthday celebration. Before leaving the venue, More reportedly warned Mohite that he “would not spare” him. Police have registered a case of murder against eight persons, identified as Ganesh More, Satish Lokhande, Shahrukh Shaikh (deceased), Banya alias Yash Londhe, Ajay Ghadge, Jitendra Londhe, Yogesh Shinde, and Sameer Dhole, who are residents of the Indiranagar area, based on a complaint lodged by Mohite’s wife, Jyoti. Edited By: Abhishek Sheoran Courtesy : India TV Note: This news is originally published on https:/indiatv.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
BSP plans to woo Dalit-Muslim with public meeting in Noida
Lucknow: Two months into holding a state-level rally in Lucknow on Oct 9 and creating political waves, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has now set its eyes on specific combinations of voters and regions where these combinations dominate politics. The party will start with an outreach of Muslim-Dalit (M-D) voters in west UP and may hold a public meeting in Noida on Dec 6 to tap into the vote base. Sources in the party said that party national president Mayawati will be the chief guest at the event. Senior party leaders on Wednesday visited the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal in Noida for inspection. Though some of them whom TOI contacted did not divulge much, they agreed that the planning is underway, thus lending credence to the information shared by insiders that the event has been designed to specifically reach out to Dalit and Muslim voters. Party cadres and supporters from eight divisions of west UP may be present at the gathering. They will get directions from Mayawati on how to bring back the voters that the party lost in the region after 2012, since when its downfall in UP began. The Dalit and Muslim bhaichara committees, which the party formed to woo Muslims and Dalits in UP to its side, are also relevant in west UP. Jatav, the most dominant sub-caste of Dalits, and BSP’s core voters, are also concentrated in west UP. Evidence of this was the 2019 Lok Sabha elections when BSP contested in alliance with the Samajwadi Party in UP and won 10 seats. Four of these seats were in west UP, which were Nagina, Saharanpur, Amroha, and Bijnor. Each has a formidable combination of Dalit and Muslim voters. The party has scheduled the event for Dec 6 as it is the death anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar and one of the three annual events observed by the party nationally. The other two occasions are the birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar on April 14, and death anniversary of BSP founder Kanshiram on Oct 9. Beginning Dec 6, there may be a series of public meetings by the party in different regions of UP. These events will help the party analyse possibilities in different regions. 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
CPI to hold nation-wide protest on Nov 18 on crimes against women minorities Dalits
New Delhi, Nov 11 (PTI) The Communist Party of India will hold a nation-wide protest on November 18 on issues of equality and justice, party General Secretary D Raja said, claiming that atrocities against women, Dalits and minorities are increasing. The Left party would hold demonstrations across the country to highlight issues related to incidents of crimes against women, Dalits and minorities. “Atrocities against these sections which are already vulnerable are increasing. Even a Supreme Court justice observed that women are the largest minority in the country,” Raja told PTI. He was referring to an observation by Justice B V Nagarathna of the top court, who observed that women who form 48.44 per cent of the country’s population are the largest minority in India, while hearing a petition on ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ — a law for providing reservation to women in Parliament and state assemblies. “India is a secular, democratic republic… But the way minorities are attacked, it is challenging the idea of India,” Raja said. “To uphold Constitutional principles and ideas of social justice and equality, our party has given this call for a protest across the country on November 18,” he said. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI) Courtesy : The Week Note: This news is originally published on https:/theweek.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Crime Without Punishment
The system protects those who commit caste violence while blaming victims for asserting dignity Two back-to-back incidents, a shoe attack on Dalit CJI B.R. Gavai and the suicide of Dalit ADGP Y. Puran Kumar, expose how caste violence and humiliation persist even at the highest levels of India’s institutions. Both cases highlight growing impunity under the Hindutva regime, where perpetrators invoking “Sanatan Dharma” face little accountability, while Dalits remain vulnerable despite rank, merit, or office. The events illustrate how token representation fails to protect Dalits, revealing a systemic, Brahmanical power structure that normalizes caste supremacy and shields upper-caste offenders. Within the span of days, two incidents have laid bare the entrenched caste realities of contemporary India and the impunity that the Hindutva regime has institutionalised. On October 6, 2025 a 71-year-old lawyer hurled a shoe at Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai, a Dalit, inside the Supreme Court, defiantly shouting “Sanatan ka apmaan nahi sahega Hindustan” (India will not tolerate insult to Sanatan Dharma). He was released without charges, his shoe returned, facing no consequences for attacking the country’s highest judicial authority. The very next day, October 7, Additional Director General of Police Y. Puran Kumar, also a Dalit, died by suicide at his Chandigarh residence, leaving an eight-page note describing years of caste humiliation and harassment by senior officers. Despite huge public outrage, nothing has been done to the perpetrators. These two events, occurring within 24 hours, are not aberrations but revelations of a deeper malaise—the normalisation of caste violence and Brahminical supremacy under a majoritarian Hindutva order that has erased accountability for crimes committed in the name of Sanatan Dharma or Hindu honour. One incident reflects physical assault on a Dalit constitutional authority without reprisal; the other, psychological persecution that drove a senior officer to death. Together, they expose an ecosystem where Dalits—irrespective of office, achievement, or rank—remain vulnerable to humiliation and violence sanctioned by ideological impunity. These are not isolated tragedies but logical outcomes of the Hindutva project that the ruling regime has consolidated over the past decade—an order that weaponises religion to defend caste and punishes dignity itself. The Shoe That Revealed Everything The attack on Chief Justice B.R. Gavai was unprecedented in audacity and deeply revealing in consequence. In a packed Supreme Court room, a lawyer hurled his shoe at the bench headed by CJI Gavai, defiantly shouting a slogan sourced from the Hindutva playbook. He later claimed he was enraged by the CJI’s quip—“ask the deity itself to do something”—while dismissing a frivolous plea to restore a Vishnu idol at Khajuraho. Such verbal retorts by judges, right or wrong, are not uncommon. However, the Hindutva networks seized on the remark as an “insult to Sanatan Dharma”, manufacturing the outrage that fuelled the assault. What followed laid bare the regime’s moral collapse. The assailant was released within hours. He boasted to the press, “I have no regrets…I was hurt.” The Prime Minister’s bland condemnation avoided any commitment to legal action. The Bar remained silent; the media soon moved on. By contrast, when a Mumbai lawyer threw a shoe at CJI A.S. Anand in 1999, aggrieved by the verdict in his property matter, he was convicted of contempt and sentenced to four months imprisonment and a fine. Kishore’s act was graver because it was ideological. His slogan invoked Sanatan Dharma—a euphemism for Brahminism that sanctifies caste hierarchy—asserting that religious sentiment trumps constitutional authority. It claimed the right to assault a Dalit Chief Justice in defence of “Hindu honour,” confident that society would understand, perhaps even celebrate, the act. This confidence of impunity is no accident. It is the product of a decade-long Hindutva campaign that has normalised upper-caste violence under the banner of faith. When cow vigilantes lynch Muslims, interfaith couples are attacked, or homes are bulldozed without due process, the same message resounds: violence in the name of Sanatan Dharma enjoys state protection. The online abuse of CJI Gavai was overtly casteist, mocking his intelligence and legitimacy. The hate spewed against him as a Dalit on social media is criminal, but the entire state machinery has been silent. The outrage over “insult to Sanatan” was merely a polite mask for fury at a Dalit occupying the highest judicial office and dismissing an upper-caste petitioner. In the Brahminical logic encoded in Sanatan Dharma, a Dalit exercising authority represents an inversion of the natural order that must be violently corrected. Kishore’s attack—and the regime’s indulgence—thus revealed everything about Hindutva’s compact with caste: that in the new India, religious offence is punishable, but caste violence is not. The Suicide Note That Indicts a System On October 7, 2025, Additional Director General of Police Y. Puran Kumar, a 2001-batch Dalit IPS officer from Andhra Pradesh serving in Haryana, shot himself at his Chandigarh residence. In his suicide note, he named several IPS and IAS officers, accusing them of sustained mental harassment, humiliation, and caste-based discrimination. Kumar detailed how he was sidelined despite seniority, denied postings he deserved, and targeted through fabricated charges. His note spoke of a systematic campaign of humiliation, including attempts to implicate him in a fake bribery case. His wife, Amneet Kumar, an IAS officer, filed a complaint holding the named officials responsible for his death and demanding their suspension and arrest. What has emerged from Kumar’s note reveals the pervasive caste bias that Dalit officers continue to face in “meritocratic” institutions. Kumar wrote of years of “mental harassment and humiliation”, of being denied recognition and opportunities his upper-caste peers enjoyed. His decision to end his life after naming his tormentors was both an act of despair and an indictment—a demand that the system confront its casteist rot. Kumar’s death demolishes the myth that rank or merit protects Dalits from caste oppression. Here was an officer one step below the state’s top cop, yet, even his uniform and authority could not shield him from institutionalised caste prejudice. If an ADGP could be hounded to suicide, what hope remains for Dalit constables or sub-inspectors, not to
Dalit, Tribal Women Lose Strongholds as NMC’s 2025 Reservation Draw Reshapes Nagpur’s Civic Map
Nagpur’s civic map has been redrawn once again, with the 2025 Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) reservation draw overturning long-standing caste and gender alignments. While 76 of 151 total seats remain reserved for women, the latest reshuffle has dealt a major blow to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) women leaders who had emerged as powerful local voices since 2017. In the last civic election, 15 seats were reserved for SC (women), giving dalit women a stronghold across north and east Nagpur. But in the new 2025 chart, half of those wards have been rotated to SC (open) or General (women), forcing several sitting corporators out of their constituencies. Among the worst hit are Sneha Nikose (Prabhag 9A, Congress), whose ward is now open, and Shakuntala Parve (Prabhag 20A, BJP), who also loses her SC (women) seat. Veteran corporators like Kanta Rarokar (23A, BJP), Usha Palat (31A), Minakshi Telgote (36A), and Ujwala Bankar (38A) face similar displacements, as their wards shift out of the women’s quota. The change has fractured traditional dalit clusters in Prabhags 5, 7, and 20, once known as SC-ST belts, now replaced by OBC and General category seats. For the first time in two terms, no single SC (women) cluster remains intact in the city’s northern zone — a major setback for grassroots dalit women leadership. In contrast, ST (women) seats remain relatively stable, retaining six of the total 12 ST positions. Congress corporator Asha Uikey (8A) and Jyoti Bhisikar (21A) are expected to retain influence, while the conversion of Prabhag 34B to ST (women) has opened new opportunities for emerging tribal leaders from east Nagpur. Overall, SC representation remains at 30 seats and ST at 12, but the internal balance has shifted sharply. Political observers see this as the end of an era where dalit women leaders enjoyed secure, cluster-based representation. The 2025 elections, they say, will test whether the social and political capital these women built through years of grassroots work can endure beyond the protective boundaries of reservation. Written by TLN Team Courtesy : The Live Nagpur Note: This news is originally published on https:/thelivenagpur.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dhanapur: A broken electricity pole in a Dalit settlement has been lying broken for two years; villagers are worried; the department has given assurances.
An electricity pole has been lying broken for the past two years in the Ahikoura Dalit settlement in the Dhanapur area of Chandauli district. The pole could collapse at any time, raising the possibility of a major accident. Villagers are angry with the electricity department. The broken pole is located in a street in the settlement, frequented by young children, women, and the elderly. Villagers say this road is dangerous 24 hours a day. A serious accident could occur at any time if the pole collapses, for which the electricity department will be held responsible. Villagers stated that they have contacted electricity department officials and employees several times to resolve this issue. Villager Sushil reported that each time they were only given assurances, but even after two years, no solution has been found to the broken pole. While the BJP government makes lofty claims of development, no leader or official has taken any initiative to replace the broken electricity pole in the Dalit settlement for two years. The villagers even informed a local BJP leader about the issue, but he ignored it, leaving them disappointed. Villagers Sushil Kumar, Ravi Kumar, Chandu Bauddh, Dhananjay, Raju, Writer, Suraj, Shankar, Dukhau, Ramharkh BDC, Shivpujan, Rambhavan Ram, Santosh, Chhotelal, Deepak Ram, Basanti, and Nirmala, among others, have drawn the attention of the District Magistrate, Chandauli, demanding an immediate solution. SDO of the Electricity Department, Sudhir Kumar, stated that the problem will be resolved soon and the pole replaced. Mukesh Kumar Maurya Courtesy: Hindi News
No road to Dalit settlement in Koraon: Villagers of Babhanpatti have to take a 2-kilometer detour to reach the main road
In Babhanpatti village in the Koraon area of Prayagraj (Allahabad), residents of the Dalit settlement have to take an additional 2-kilometer detour to reach the main road. This problem persists due to the lack of a culvert, preventing the unpaved road from connecting to the main black road. According to villagers, a dirt road was constructed in 2010. This road is primarily used by residents of the Harijan settlement. Due to the lack of a culvert, they have to travel a longer route to reach the Ghade Ghadwa settlement. If a culvert is constructed on this road, the two roads will be connected. This will reduce the distance to the main road to approximately 800 meters, saving villagers time and labor. Several villagers, including Raghav Prasad Harijan, Sheshmani Dubey, Vikas Sunil Adivasi, and Chandrama Harijan, have drawn the attention of the government and concerned authorities to this problem. Shamim Ghani Shaikh Courtesy: Hindi News
Police invoke SC/ST Act in Dalit youth’s murder; main suspect shot, arrested in TN’s Tiruchy
Palakkarai police shot the prime suspect R Sathishkumar in the knee and arrested him at Melur in Srirangam after he allegedly pushed down two police personnel and tried to escape. TIRUCHY: A day after 26-year-old youth from a SC community, Thamaraiselvan, was hacked to death by a gang inside the police residential quarters in Marsingpet, police invoked SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the suspects, following protests from his family members. Subsequently, Tiruchy West tahsildar S Prakash handed over cheque for Rs 6 lakh to the victim’s mother, B Parvathi, as compensation under the Act. The family then received Thamaraiselvan body from the hospital after autopsy and conducted the funeral. On Monday night, Palakkarai police shot the prime suspect R Sathishkumar in the knee and arrested him at Melur in Srirangam after he allegedly pushed down two police personnel and tried to escape. Sathishkumar and two injured policemen Mathavaraj (32) and George William (37) have been admitted in the Srirangam Government Hospital. Acting on information shared by Sathishkumar, a police team tracked his accomplices who were hiding near the Yatri Nivas in Srirangam. Upon seeing police, the group tried to flee and allegedly fell into a pit. Nandhakumar suffered fracture in his arm, while Prabhakaran and Ganesan sustained leg fractures. All three were taken to MGMGH. On Tuesday all of them were arrested under the SC/ST Act. One more suspect Ilamaran was detained by locals inside the police quarters on Monday and handed over to police. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit woman raped for eight years under false pretenses of marriage: Asif accused of forced religious conversion, feeding her beef, and forcing her to undergo an abortion
A Dalit woman in Akbarpur has accused a young man named Asif of raping her for eight years under false pretenses of marriage. The woman alleges that Asif forced her religious conversion, fed her beef, and forced her to wear a burqa. She has also alleged forced abortion and attempted murder. Police have registered a case of rape against Asif and attempted rape against his father and brother and have begun an investigation. In her complaint to the police, the woman stated that Asif, a resident of Miranpur in Akbarpur, has relatives in her village. They met about eight years ago and began communicating. During this time, Asif, under false pretenses of marriage, began raping her. According to the woman, on September 6, 2023, Asif took her to his home and raped her. When she resisted, he stabbed her in the hand, injuring her. After keeping her at his home for a few days, Asif took her to Ludhiana. When the woman became pregnant, Asif abandoned her and returned home. The woman somehow reached Asif’s home, where Asif, his father Jalaluddin, and brother Arif forcibly administered medication and caused her to have an abortion. After recovering, she was taken to a madrasa, where she was converted to Islam. She was then fed beef and forced to wear a burqa. When she protested, she was also subjected to casteist abuse. The woman stated that on October 30, 2025, Asif drove her out of his home and, despite repeated persuasion, refused to keep her with him. On Monday, the woman reported the matter to the police. Police Inspector Srinivas Pandey stated that based on the complaint, a case has been registered against Asif for rape under the pretext of marriage, and against her father and brother for attempted rape. He stated that both applications are being investigated, and one of the accused is being interrogated. Courtesy: Hindi News
Former IPS Dr. B.P. Ashok, who resigned in 2018 over changes to the SC/ST Act, said, “Like demonetization, a ‘caste ban’ law should be enacted.”
Dr. Ashok shared several experiences of caste discrimination during his police career. He claimed that despite his outstanding work, he was denied service medals, while officers with lesser qualifications received medals based on their caste and recommendations. Dr. Ashok offered a unique suggestion to empower the weaker sections of society, saying that at least one member of every family should study law. He said, “Knowledge of law gives a person respect and reduces the fear of injustice. No one asks a lawyer’s caste; it’s their status.” New Delhi – Dr. B.P. Ashok, a former senior officer of the Uttar Pradesh Police Service, social reformer, and founder of the ‘Caste Eradication Campaign,’ has said that true equality in the country can only be achieved when caste identification is completely eliminated. Describing the caste system as the biggest curse on society, he stressed the need for a “caste ban” law. In a candid conversation on the “Power Talk with Sanjeev” podcast, Dr. Ashok discussed his resignation to the President in protest of the Supreme Court’s decision on the SC/ST Act in 2018, the injustices he faced during his service due to casteism, and the issues of caste discrimination prevalent in society. Dr. Ashok recalled the 2018 incident when the Supreme Court, in a decision, weakened the provision for immediate arrest under the SC/ST Act and made investigation mandatory. Dr. Ashok was in the Training Department at the time. He explained, “This provision was made so that dominant classes could not oppress the weaker classes and force them into compromises. When this provision was abolished, there was anger among the Dalit and tribal communities across the country.” He further said, “Peaceful protests were planned across the country on April 2nd, but some people resorted to violence. Violence broke out in districts like Meerut, Agra, and Aligarh, resulting in the death of 13 young people in police action. Hurt by this incident and demanding strengthening of the law, I submitted my resignation to the President.” However, despite the intervention of then-Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and assurances that the law would be reinstated within a month, his resignation was not accepted. Dr. Ashok said that Parliament reinstated the law on August 9, 2018. Encountering Casteism During Service Dr. Ashok shared several experiences of caste discrimination during his police career. He claimed that despite his outstanding work, he was not awarded service medals, while less qualified officers received medals based on their caste and recommendations. He said, “When it came to getting shot, I was at the forefront, but when it came to receiving medals, I was not.” Regarding the recent suicide of IPS officer Puran Kumar, Dr. Ashok said the incident was shameful for both the police department and society. He said a strong individual like an IPS officer would only take such a step when their morale is repeatedly undermined. He demanded a thorough investigation into the matter. Citing the example of former IPS officer Prasad, he said Prasad returned with degrees after being suspended for 11-12 years. “Have willpower, don’t commit suicide.” There should be a caste-banning law, just like demonetization. Dr. Ashok stressed that a strict law is needed to end discrimination and atrocities based on caste. He said, “We should enact a ‘caste-banning’ law, just like demonetization. All traces of caste should be erased from people’s pockets, nameplates, homes, neighborhoods, and shops.” He praised the order of Justice Vinod Diwakar of the Allahabad High Court, which directed a ban on writing caste-based names on vehicles and shops. Dr. Ashok believes that casteism cannot be eradicated until interview-free examinations and a caste-banning law are enacted. He said, “Increase inter-caste marriages and conduct interview-free recruitment. If the Mandal Commission had been implemented, democracy would have been strengthened. If OBCs had received a share, bullying would have stopped.” Sharply criticizing the caste system, he said, “Even a 100-year-old Kshatriya is inferior to a Brahmin. The situation of women is even worse.” “Why should a Brahmin in Kashmir give a share to the SCs of Kerala?” He called reservations “share.” “If you don’t like reservations, then practice inter-caste marriages. The next generation will benefit.” Provide top-to-bottom reservations in the private sector, and a 5-10% tax exemption. “Conduct a caste census, and balance will be created.” Family Background: A Legacy of Education and Struggle Dr. Ashok was born in Siyana village (Laung Sarai) in Bulandshahr. His father, Dr. Devi Singh Ashok, is a retired IG who traveled from village to village, sending SC/ST children to school. He said, “My father removed the fear of chanting ‘Jai Bhim’. We celebrated Dr. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary and wrote books. There was a tradition of education at home.” Dr. Ashok himself earned a PhD and D.Litt. in Buddhist philosophy. His daughter is in the IRS, his son-in-law is also in the civil service, and his son is pursuing an IIT. He said, “Ambedkarism is our inspiration. Buddha, Phule, Savitribai, Ambedkar—these are our icons.” Be educated, fight, stay organized.” His village also boasts a 53-foot-high “Bahujan Kranti Stambh,” dedicated to the martyrs of April 2, 2018. Dr. Ashok advised the youth to abandon superstition and fatalism for success and adopt a scientific mindset. “We waste 60 hours a year on superstition. China invests in R&D, we invest in gurus. 111 people commit suicide due to superstition. Buddha said to be guided by logic. Invest 25% of your surplus in savings; don’t borrow during festivals.” He emphasized time management, STEM education (science, technology, engineering, math), English, internet usage, and financial literacy. He said that without these skills, progress is difficult in today’s times. Geetha Sunil Pillai Courtesy: Hindi News