Dalit woman demands compensation from Kerala govt over ‘mental torture’ at police station
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 15 (PTI) A Dalit woman who recently suffered “mental harassment” at a police station over an alleged fake theft case approached the state Human Rights Commission on Monday to demand compensation from the state government. The woman, R Bindhu, demanded compensation when Commission chairperson Justice Alexander Thomas considered the case during the sitting. In view of the demand of the victim, the panel decided to name the state home secretary and state and district police chiefs as official respondents and the two accused police personnel in the case as contesting respondents. The Commission asked them to examine Bindhu’s request and submit a written response in this regard, an official statement said here. Bindhu, a domestic help, recently made serious allegations against the police, citing a theft case registered against her that was later proven to be false. She had alleged that she had to suffer acute mental torture and harassment in the custody of police in Peroorkada station here in April after the owner of the house, where she was working, lodged a complaint that she had stolen their gold chain. The woman’s claims of being detained overnight at the police station without food or sleep and being asked to drink toilet water by police personnel recently sparked widespread outrage. The accused police personnel had been suspended from service following an internal inquiry. Meanwhile, Bindhu, on Monday, joined as a peon in a private school in Vithura, as the management offered the job after knowing about the incident through the media. (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
‘No Safety Gear, Deadly Gases’: Two Dalit Men Die of Suffocation While Cleaning Sewer in Ahmedabad
Two Dalit youths died of suffocation inside a sewer manhole in Ahmedabad’s Bopal area on 5 September. The victims, 20-year-old Vikas Lal Bahadur Kori and 21-year-old Kanhaiyalal Khushiram Kori, had gone inside the sewer to clean it when poisonous gases knocked them unconscious. Both were later declared dead at a hospital. Initially, police had arrested only the labour contractor. But now, after expanding the investigation, Ahmedabad Rural Police have named the site contractor and site engineer as accused as well. “We have already arrested Mukeshkumar Someshwar Adalat Thakur, the labour contractor. Site contractor Saurabh Panchal and site engineer Jayanil have also been made accused and will be arrested soon,” said Tapasin Dodiya, Deputy Superintendent of Police, SC/ST Cell. The case was registered after a complaint by Lal Bahadur Kori, father of Vikas. Lal Bahadur, who hails from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, said his son had been working as a plumber in Ahmedabad for three years. “On September 6, I got a call from my relative Anish, who told me Vikas had fainted while cleaning a sewer. He assured me Vikas was being treated and would be sent home in an ambulance. But the next day when the ambulance arrived, it was carrying my son’s dead body,” Lal Bahadur said in his complaint. According to the FIR, on the day of the incident, contractor Thakur brought a pressure machine and asked Vikas to get inside the gutter near ‘The Garden Bungalows’ to clean it. He was not given any safety equipment. Vikas fell unconscious due to toxic gas, and his friend Kanhaiyalal went inside to save him but also collapsed. Firefighters later pulled them out and rushed them to hospital, where doctors declared Kanhaiyalal dead at 3:40 pm and Vikas at 10:40 pm. “The two youths were first asked to work on a private sewer line at a construction site. Later, they were told to connect it to the municipal sewer line, which was clogged due to rain. It was during this task that the accident happened,” said DySP Dodiya. Police have booked the accused under provisions of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, endangering human life, and under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act. They are also charged under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Activists have demanded strict accountability. “The law is quite clear that those responsible for the deaths of workers, including government officials in charge, must be held accountable,” said Parshottam Vaghela of Human Dignity, an NGO that works on such cases. Courtesy : TOP Note: This news is originally published on https:/theobserverpost.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit Woman in UP Harassed, Forced to Clean Road by Councillors, Approaches SP
In Mainpuri district of Uttar Pradesh, a Dalit woman named Uma Devi has approached the Superintendent of Police after facing harassment and threats from two local councillors. Uma Devi, a resident of ward number four in Kishni town, earns her livelihood by rearing goats and buffaloes. According to her complaint, on September 4, 2025, her husband was grazing their goats when the animals dirtied the culvert near the councillors’ houses. This reportedly angered councillors Amit Kumar and Ravi Pal, who began abusing her husband and demanded that he clean the road. Uma Devi said the men threatened to kill her family if they did not obey. Fearing for her safety, she cleaned the public road herself. The incident was caught on CCTV. She also alleged that when she went to the local police station to file a complaint, her grievances were ignored. “The accused are pressuring me every day to compromise. They threaten to kill us if we don’t end the matter,” Uma Devi told reporters after submitting her complaint to the SP. Taking note of the case, the Superintendent of Police has directed the Kishni police station to investigate and assured Uma Devi of justice. He said strict action would be taken against those responsible. Courtesy : TOP Note: This news is originally published on https:/theobserverpost.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit Youth, Mother Assaulted in Ghaziabad, Tensions Boil Into Village Clash
Fresh caste violence has erupted in Ghaziabad’s Masauta village, where Dalit and Rajput communities clashed on Sunday evening. Heavy stone-pelting broke out between the two sides, forcing police to rush additional forces to the area. The Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) has been deployed to maintain order, while several police teams remain stationed in the village. According to police, the tension began after a Dalit youth’s bike collided with a car carrying Rajput men on Saturday. The car occupants allegedly slapped the youth, sparking anger. Later, when the boy and his mother went to complain, they were allegedly beaten. This escalated into a larger confrontation between the two groups. “Stone pelting was reported around 8 pm. Our teams reached the spot quickly and managed to bring the situation under control,” said Acting Assistant Police Commissioner of Mussoorie, Amit Saxena. He added that CCTV footage from the village is being scanned to identify all those involved. Police have detained at least six people so far, and a case has been filed under multiple sections, including the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Officials confirmed that Bhim Army leaders also reached the village, which further heightened tensions. Despite a heavy police presence, locals remain fearful of renewed violence. “We don’t feel safe. The situation is still tense, and we hope the authorities take strict action,” a villager who requested anonymity told media. Courtesy : TOP Note: This news is originally published on https:/theobserverpost.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Tamil Nadu: Dalit Boy Beaten, Stripped, and Subjected to Caste Slurs for Meeting Vanniyar Girl
Police in Chennai have arrested two men for allegedly stripping, beating, and abusing a 17-year-old Dalit boy who had gone to meet a girl at her relatives’ house in Secretariat Colony on Friday, September 12. The accused have been identified as Saravanan, said to be a former BJP functionary, and his brother Logesh. According to police, the girl’s relatives confined the boy in a room and then called Saravanan. When he arrived, Saravanan and his brother allegedly assaulted the boy, stripped him, and hurled casteist abuses. The boy, who belongs to the Scheduled Caste (Adi Dravidar) community, has been friends for years with the girl, who is from the Most Backward Class (Vanniyar) community. They continued to stay in touch through social media even after moving to different schools. “The boy was beaten badly and humiliated. Saravanan used caste slurs against him,” a police officer said. The teenager is now receiving treatment at Kilpauk Medical College (KMC) Hospital. Police have booked the accused under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act along with multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges of obscene acts, voluntarily causing hurt, attempt to murder, and criminal intimidation. Courtesy : TOP Note: This news is originally published on https:/theobserverpost.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Kerala elections: Congress in search of Dalit and tribal faces, decades of neglect proving costly?
Till the 1980s, the party was full of prominent Dalit leaders, but factionalism ruined everything. Now finding candidates for 16 reserved seats has also become a big challenge. Kochi: The preparations for the assembly elections to be held in Kerala in May next year have intensified, but the Congress party is stuck in a strange difficulty. The party is struggling to find its Dalit and tribal candidates just before the elections. This turmoil has exposed a bitter truth that the party has failed miserably in preparing and promoting new leaders from the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities. The result is that the party is feeling very weak on the 16 reserved seats (14 SC and 2 ST) of the state. A golden past, which is now only in memories This difference between the past and the present is very clear. By the mid-1980s, the Congress had no dearth of stalwart leaders from backward communities. Names like Vella Echaran Iyani, M. P. Thami, K. K. Balakrishnan, K. Raghavan Master, Damodaran Kalassery, P. K. Velayudhan, K. K. Madhavan, T. K. C. Vaduthala, Kittappa Narayana Swamy and Dr. M. A. Kuttappan not only gave the party legislative strength but also had a strong grassroots hold. These leaders were not just candidates but mass leaders who were deeply respected in the society. Factionalism ruined the party But as factionalism within the party deepened in the late 1980s and 90s, Dalit and tribal representation shrunk. Political analyst Dizo Kappan says, “The main reason for the failure to promote SC/ST leaders in the Congress was the never-ending infighting between the ‘A’ and ‘I’ groups. This factionalism prevented the emergence of new leaders and created a vacuum that has not been filled till date.” Dependence on old faces a problem This vacuum has become a major challenge for the party today. For decades, the party’s leadership has depended on a handful of “safe” names, most prominent among them being Kodikunnil Suresh and Pandalam Sudhakaran. Kodikunnil, who was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989, is still an MP, while Sudhakaran has been active in politics since his first election in 1982. Critics believe that these two leaders have effectively closed the doors for younger leaders. Ramesh Mathew, a former journalist and longtime Congress watcher, says, “The Congress is unable to think of any new names other than Kodikunnil and Sudhakaran. After some issues surfaced regarding Remya Haridas, the party can only blame itself for this situation.” It is clear that the party’s bench strength is worryingly weak. The party has no ready options for the 16 reserved seats. On the other hand, the CPM and the BJP are apparently trying to groom Dalit and tribal candidates, which has increased the Congress’s worries even more. Leadership admits mistake, promises change A senior Congress source acknowledged the crisis, but insisted that change is coming. “The AICC now wants fresh faces from the fishermen, SC and ST communities, not old and tired faces like Kodikunnil and [T.N.] Prathapan. We have identified some promising new faces, and 2026 will see a clear generational change,” he said. According to sources, Sajithamol, the widow of Pathanamthitta District Congress Committee (DCC) vice-president and district panchayat member M.G. Kannan, who died in May this year at the age of 42, could be one of the Congress’ choices from the backward community for the Assembly election. Return to power at stake In the 140-member Assembly, these 16 reserved seats could prove to be decisive. Losing ground on this front could mean a dash to the Congress’ hopes of returning to power. Kottayam’s P.R. Leaders like Sona – who is educated, holds a doctorate degree and is active in social work – represent the kind of profile the party should have cultivated years ago. Instead, sources say, the neglect of Dalit leadership at the grassroots has left the Congress today scrambling across the state for credible candidates at the last minute. It is ironic that a party that once produced stalwarts like K.K. Balakrishnan – who held several ministerial portfolios, including Harijan Welfare and Transport – and a staunch Ambedkarite like Dr. Kuttappan, who reached the Assembly despite factional sabotage, is today struggling to find even a few well-known Dalit leaders. As the countdown to the elections begins, the Congress is realising that the mistake of ignoring and sidelining its Dalit and tribal leaders for decades cannot be undone by a mere search for candidates. The past is fast catching up with them – and the party may pay a heavy price for it. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy : Hindi News
Rajasthan: Dalit farmer’s field fence burnt in Balotra, caste abuses and death threats alleged
Dalit farmer assaulted and threatened in Tapra village of Balotra; field fence burnt, police accused of delaying action Rajasthan: A tense situation prevails over the field of a Dalit farmer in Tapra village of Balotra district. It is alleged that the nearby farm owner not only set the field fence on fire, but also hurled caste abuses and threatened to kill him. The incident took place in the field of Chhagna Ram Meghwal, where Mohanlal Bhil was working in the field. The victim Mohanlal says that the neighboring farm owner, Ummed Singh, was constantly pressurizing him and tried to attack him several times. The victim’s side also claims that they have a video of the incident, in which the accused Ummed Singh is seen openly hurling caste abuses, beating him and threatening to kill him with a sword. Recently, the accused set the farm fence on fire, causing great damage. In this case, Mohanlal Bhil has lodged an FIR in the police station. However, the villagers allege that the police delayed taking action by two days and have not yet shown the required seriousness in the matter. Villagers demand strict action The Dalit community and the people of the village have united and demanded from the administration that strict action should be taken against the accused. They say that such incidents are creating an atmosphere of fear in the society. They have also expected the police to take this matter with sensitivity and take immediate and fair action on the complaints of the Dalit community, so that the victim’s family can get justice. Sharvan Kumar Courtesy : Hindi News
Tamil Nadu: Class 12 Dalit student stripped and beaten, two arrested: Know the full story
Class 12 student stripped and beaten in Chennai, two arrested including former BJP leader . Chennai: The Secretariat Colony police have arrested two people under the Scheduled Castes/Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for assaulting and misbehaving with a Class 12 student. The incident took place when the boy went to meet a Class 10 girl student at her home. The arrested accused have been identified as Saravanan and his brother Logesh. According to the police, Saravanan was earlier reported to be an office bearer of a political party. The police said that the girl’s mother has also lodged a complaint against the boy under the POCSO Act. The mother alleges that the boy exploited her daughter, although no case has been registered in this matter yet. What is the whole matter? According to the police, the 17-year-old boy and the girl studied in the same school in Choolaimedu and were friends since then. Later, the schools of both of them were separated, but they remained in constant touch through social media. On Friday, when the boy went to meet the girl at her house in Secretariat Colony, some of the girl’s relatives locked him in a room. After this, they called Saravanan. It is alleged that Saravanan and Logesh together beat up the boy brutally and took off his clothes. Later, he was released. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy : Hindi News
Teen Dalit stripped, assaulted in Chennai; Two arrested
The Class 12 boy was in a relationship with his classmate from a different caste. A 17-year-old Dalit boy was allegedly stripped, assaulted, and abused for visiting a girl at her home in Chennai on Friday, September 12. Two men have been arrested. According to the police, the teenager was in a relationship with the girl from a different caste. They were classmates and studied in a school located in Choolaimedu, a significant residential and commercial neighbourhood in Central Chennai. When her parents became aware of the relationship, they sent her away to live with her grandmother in Secretariat Colony. However, the teenagers continued to stay in contact through social media even after moving to different schools. On Friday, the boy went to Secretariat Colony to visit her and was caught red-handed by the two accused, Logesh and his brother Sravanan. The Dalit teenager was violently attacked. Local reports suggest Sravanan was affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Based on the Dalit boy’s parents’ complaint, a case was registered under the SC/ST Act along with other sections related to assault, wrongful confinement, and criminal intimidation. The duo was arrested on the same day. Posted by Veena Nair Courtesy : The Siasat Daily Note: This news is originally published on https:/thesiasatdaily.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
UP Banda: People of Dalit colony yearning for electricity, reality of Banda district
Chaube Purva of Gram Panchayat Naugaon of Tehsil Naraini of Banda district of Uttar Pradesh is still immersed in darkness. Here about 30 Dalit families are waiting for electricity facility for generations. People say that despite complaining and applying many times, electricity did not come. Poles and wires were installed in the village, but the transformer was not installed. Children’s studies have stopped, people are troubled in the heat and there is a fear of snakes and scorpions. Courtesy : Hindi News