Dalit student dies after alleged caste humiliation in India
Police arrest three men after family says college student was assaulted and publicly humiliated over caste identity in Uttar Pradesh NEW DELHI, India — A 20-year-old Dalit college student in northern India allegedly died by suicide after being assaulted and humiliated over his caste identity, police and family members said, in a case that has renewed scrutiny of caste-based discrimination and violence in the country. The student, identified as Atin Kumar, was found dead in his room on Sunday in Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad district, a day after he was allegedly confronted at a local library, accused of harassing a girl and beaten after revealing he belonged to the Dalit community — a historically oppressed caste group formerly referred to as “untouchables.” Police said a handwritten suicide note recovered from his room referenced harassment and assault linked to the incident. Family members also claimed injury marks were visible on his body, including what appeared to be a fractured finger. According to a complaint filed by his father, Ajay Kumar, Atin regularly visited the RM Library after attending college classes. On Saturday evening, several men at the library allegedly confronted him and questioned him about his caste identity during an altercation. The family alleged the confrontation escalated into physical assault after Atin disclosed that he was Dalit. “My son suffered injuries in the assault and came back home humiliated,” his father said in the police complaint. “He did not share the ordeal with the family and was found dead the next day.” Atin was the only son of his parents, both of whom are specially abled, according to local residents. Alongside his studies as a Bachelor of Science student, he reportedly also ran a small grocery shop to help support the family financially. Police have registered a criminal case against six people under charges including murder, rioting, assault and caste-based atrocities. The case was filed under provisions of India’s Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, a law designed to address violence and discrimination against marginalized caste communities, alongside sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, India’s criminal code. Police on Monday said three accused — identified as Atul Sikera, Dhruv Yadav and Ritik Yadav — had been arrested, while efforts were underway to locate the remaining suspects. “Police teams are working to nab the other absconding accused,” Shikohabad Deputy Superintendent of Police Amreesh Kumar said. The case has triggered outrage on social media and renewed debate over caste discrimination in India, where Dalits continue to face violence, social exclusion and humiliation despite constitutional protections and affirmative action policies. Human rights groups and Dalit activists have long argued that caste-based violence remains deeply embedded in parts of Indian society where social hierarchies continue to shape access to education, employment and public spaces. Courtesy : Muslim Network TV Note: This news is originally published on https:/muslinetworktv.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit politics in Bihar erupts again; Union Minister Manjhi’s statement raises political heat
Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has launched a scathing attack on the RJD and Tejashwi Yadav over the Dalit-Mahadalit issue in Bihar. He accused the RJD of suppressing Dalits. Manjhi accused the RJD of suppressing Dalits. He vowed to respond with the “power of Ambedkarism.” The political temperature in Bihar has risen following the Barachatti incident. Patna. The rhetoric surrounding the Dalit-Mahadalit issue has intensified in Bihar politics. Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has once again launched a scathing attack on Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav and the Rashtriya Janata Dal. In a post on the social media platform X, Manjhi accused the RJD of engaging in politics aimed at suppressing the Dalit and Mahadalit communities. He said that the Dalit-Mahadalit community has now awakened and the politics of intimidation will not last long. “The power of Ambedkarism will provide the answer.” In his post, Manjhi wrote, “RJD goons have always said… ‘There’s no strength in the power, now ask for your life.’” In response, he invoked Ambedkarism and wrote that the Dalit and Mahadalit community will now give a befitting reply. Manjhi said in a poetic style, “As long as there is a trace of faith among Dalits and Mahadalits, the sword of Ambedkarism will reach the throne of RJD.” He said that the Dalit community has now become politically and socially aware and is not afraid of any kind of pressure or threat. Following the arrests in this case, the RJD has questioned the police action. The RJD leader alleged that innocent people, especially women, are being harassed in this case. The RJD said that the police are taking action under pressure from Manjhi. EDITATED BY: VYAS CHANDRA Courtesy: Hindi News
Fridge mechanic held for molesting minor Dalit girl
Pilibhit: A 26-year-old refrigerator mechanic was arrested on Monday for allegedly molesting a 15-year-old Dalit girl at her residence in Puranpur city, police said. The accused had gone to the victim’s house around 6 pm Sunday to repair a refrigerator. Finding the minor alone while her parents were away at the market, he allegedly molested her. According to the police, when the girl protested, the accused abused her and hurled casteist slurs. He fled after she screamed for help. The matter came to light on Monday after the victim’s father lodged a police complaint, leading to the registration of an FIR. Puranpur Kotwali SHO Pawan Pandey said the accused has been booked under BNS sections 74 (criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 352 (intentional insult). He also faces charges under sections 7 and 8 (sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, alongside relevant sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. 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
Dalit BSc student kills self after caste-based assault in Uttar Pradesh
AGRA: A 20-year-old Dalit BSc student allegedly died by suicide in his room in Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad district on Sunday, a day after he was accused of harassing a girl at a library, assaulted and humiliated by a group of men upon learning his caste. Deceased Atin Kumar was a resident of Nagla Bilautia village under Shikohabad police station. A one-page suicide note recovered from Atin’s room mentioned harassment and assault at the library. Villagers said injury marks were visible on Atin’s body, and that there was a fracture in one of his fingers. Police on Monday said three accused were arrested, after a case was registered following a police complaint by the deceased’s father, Ajay Kumar. An FIR was registered under BNS sections 103 (murder), 191 (rioting), 352 (intentional insults designed to provoke breach of peace), 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), and appropriate sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, against six people, including two named accused — library operator Atul Sikera and Dhruv Yadav. Kumar said his son regularly visited the RM Library after college. On Saturday evening, some locals at the library allegedly accused Atin of harassing a girl and assaulted him after asking about his caste. “My son suffered injuries in the assault and came back home humiliated. He did not share the ordeal with the family and was found dead on Sunday,” stated Ajay Kumar in his complaint to the police. Atin was the only son of his parents, both of whom are specially abled. Due to the family’s poor financial conditions, Atin also managed a small grocery shop to support the family. Shikohabad DSP Amreesh Kumar, who is also investigating officer of the case, told TOI, “Three accused — Atul Sikera, Dhruv Yadav and Ritik Yadav — have been arrested. Police teams are working to nab the other absconding accused.” 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
What happens when Dalit Women lead Dalit movements?
A reflection from the first ever Dalit Literature Festival in Chicago It’s been a whirlwind of a Dalit History Month in April! I wrote several pieces for major publications, traveled to Chicago for the first ever (!) Dalit Literature Festival and then again to Syracuse to deliver a keynote at the South Asia’s Publics Symposium at Syracuse University. Many of you might also know that I’ve been involved with the efforts around the New York State Caste Bill, which is currently under consideration in state legislature and if passed could make New York the first state in the country to have caste protection laws in the books. So much has happened in the last few months and I can’t wait to update you all about it. But I want to start with the address for the panel on Gender and Caste, that I spoke in at the Dalit Literature Festival with Prof Shailaja Paik and Dr. Helen Chukka. Despite the provocation being on a slightly different subject, it was revealing that all three of us ended up addressing the same issue in our reflections — the state of Dalit women inside our own Dalit communities. Dr Paik — who I have written about on this Substack — talked about how Dalit women are often overlooked even within our own spaces, and ironically, how her work, which spans two decades became popular among Dalit communities only after she won the McArthur Foundation ‘Genius’ Grant. In my address, I wrote about the absence of Dalit women from leadership in movement spaces, barring a few prominent examples like Equality Labs’ Thenmozhi Soundarajan. This is also why I’m so thrilled to be among the leading voices on the New York Caste Bill, which is a Dalit femme led effort, introduced by firebrand Dalit lawyer, Swati Sawant and organized by community activists like Shalini (more on that soon). Me (left) with Swati Sawant and Pabitra Dash from Adhikaar at the AAARI CUNY Asian American Symposium on May 15 I’m grateful to my friend Pushkar Sharma from SACRED Chicago and Obed Manwatkar, along with the Midwest Ambedkarites, who organized this momentous gathering and invited me to participate in the festival. A special shoutout to Obed, who ensured that our voices were included as central to the celebration and who encouraged us as Dalit women, to speak our truth, even in the face of palpable discomfort. Here is the reflection in full: Dear friends, comrades and attendees at the first Dalit Literature Festival. I’m beyond honored to participate and be in conversation with Dr Shailaja Paik, Dr Helen Chukka and Kshitija Chavan, who is moderating today. Before we move ahead with the conversation, let me acknowledge the historic nature of this moment, where Dalit women and our voices are centered so assertively as part of this broader conversation of Dalit Literature. Dalit women have been historically marginalized not only within the larger Brahminical structures, within the Savarna feminist movement but also, and yes, there can be no better place to say it, even within mostly male-dominated Dalit spaces. Before we address the persistent focus on representation that become the precondition for a visible feminism in this neoliberal hellscape, I think it’s even more crucial for us to address the issue that is closer to all of us, both literally and figuratively. The presence and participation of Dalit women within Dalit spaces has no doubt increased over the last several years. The existence of this panel within this gathering is far from the only example. Yet, based on many experiences that I have both witnessed and undergone, it is safe to say that while Dalit women in movement spaces are encouraged, their leadership within our own communities is at best tolerated. The Dalit movement, as we know and understand it, takes shape in academia, as we are all gathered here to witness. But it also takes place on the streets, in community meetings, on social media and inside our homes. There have been countless instances where we find Dalit women expected to carry out the ‘consigned feminine’ roles of organizing events, cooking for gatherings, managing decorations but more or less excluded from rooms where decisions actually happen, and where their presence/our presence would challenge the gender dynamic that sadly still continues to take hold in our movement spaces. The panel on Caste and Gender at the Dalit Literature Festival in Chicago; Dr Shailaja Paik (left), Me, Dr Helen Chukka (center) and Dr Obed Manwatkar; April 18 Just a few weeks ago, the shocking story of Cesar Chavez, the pioneering movement leader of Latino Civil Rights and an enduring champion of farm workers broke in the New York Times. Chavez, whose work had elevated him to a godlike status within his communities, was accused of sexual abuse by several women and young children who had come in contact with him over the years, including by his closest aide and the co-founder of the United Farm Workers union he had founded, Dolores Huerta. The story which was published in the New York Times after five years of relentless investigative work highlights a chilling account of the ways in which Huerta and countless other women were silenced and ignored for years, just to preserve and maintain the legacy of what was then considered a fragile and deeply crucial movement. If you haven’t read that story, I would highly encourage you to do so. Not because there is a one-to-one parallel between that and what happens within our own movement spaces. But because it shows in incredibly clarifying detail, how marginalized women within movement spaces are devalued, ignored and forced maintain silence for quote, unquote the greater good. It forces us to question the deep discomfort we feel with contrarian ideas, especially when they are espoused and originated from women whose identities make them further marginalized in a group of already marginalized communities. And it makes us wonder about the instinctive knee-jerk reactions that we exhibit in respond to Dalit women
Dalits can’t be Tamil Nadu CM: VCK chief breaks silence over approach for top post
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) chief Thol Thirumavalavan on Monday confirmed that “well-wishers and mediators” had approached him over the possibility of becoming Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, but said no formal discussions were ever held and no one officially sought his support for such a move. The remarks by the VCK leader come days after India Today reported that a rebel AIADMK leader had claimed the DMK proposed making Thirumavalavan the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, which would have made him the state’s first Dalit CM. Speaking after the floor test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, rebel AIADMK leader C Ve Shanmugam had said the state got an “extremely rare chance” and an “unimaginable, impossible chance” for “someone from the Scheduled Caste community to become Chief Minister.” Responding to the controversy, Thirumavalavan said, “Well-wishers and mediators spoke but no one approached officially, forcing us to accept this decision and seeking support.” He added that certain mid-level leaders and supporters had questioned why a Dalit could not become Chief Minister. “Even my party general secretary put out a tweet but we said it is not right,” he said. Thirumavalavan also revealed that he was informed on the night of May 8 about comments surrounding the possibility of him becoming Chief Minister, but said he initially took it lightly. The VCK chief reiterated that his party had extended only outside and unconditional support to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) for government formation. “I’ve said that we will not take part in the Cabinet while our party leaders are still wanting to,” he said. Reflecting on the broader social context, Thirumavalavan said Tamil Nadu, despite being described as a land of social justice and Periyar’s ideology, remained deeply affected by caste realities. “Tamil Nadu, even if you call it a social justice land or Periyar land, is caught in the grips of casteism. A Dalit cannot become a Chief Minister here that easily,” he said. Story by Pramod Madhav Courtesy : MSN Note: This news is originally published on https:/msn.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Mahatma Gandhi and the Guruvayur struggle
In this day and age when Guruvayur is a popular pilgrimage spot for people from all across India (and even Sri Lanka), it’s difficult to imagine that Dalits were not allowed into the Sree Krishna temple until June 1947. In 1936, the 24-year-old Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma passed the Travancore Temple Entry Proclamation decree, but this had no bearing on those who lived outside the princely state. Guruvayur was then in the Malabar district of the Madras province. The organised movement for Dalits, then called Untouchables, to enter the Guruvayur temple began with the 1931 Satyagraha led by K Kelappan and AK Gopalan, both Nairs. One of the biggest supporters of this non-violent movement was Mahatma Gandhi. In January 1933, the Manchester Guardian reported that Gandhi persuaded Kelappan to not fast, but said he himself would do so from the Yerawada Central Jail, if the upper castes remained adamant on denying Dalits entry to the temple. “Hinduism dies if untouchability lives, and untouchability has to die if Hinduism is to live,” Gandhi was quoted as saying by the United Press news agency. He said it would be “a living death” to witness the “degeneration” of the temple-entry movement, which he believed was “probably the biggest religious reform movement in India.” In the same period, C Rajagopalachari sent a cable to the Guardian where he said that the onus was on the British to implement legislation that banned discriminatory entry practices, as the temple was in the legal jurisdiction of British India. “Mr Rajagopalachari’s cable states that the Government is unwilling to permit the necessary bills to be introduced in the Legislature,” the Guardian said. “British authority is thus impeding the progress of social reform which Indian opinion demands,” the paper cited Rajagopalachari as saying. When Gandhi’s pleas from the Yerawada jail were falling on deaf ears, he proposed a makeshift compromise formula where the Guruvayur temple would allow entry to Dalits, and those who didn’t mind their presence, for a few hours a day. The idea was rejected by influential upper caste individuals, while the Zamorin (Samoothiri) of Calicut, the main patron of the temple, did not take a formal stand. “The Zamorin’s personal sympathies are believed to incline to the side of tradition, but on the question of temple entry, he has wisely taken up a neutral attitude and shelters himself behind the present state of the law, which makes it more than doubtful whether a temple trustee has any power to admit the untouchables into the precincts of a caste temple,” the Guardian added. The Mahatma’s activism towards social justice made him unpopular among a section of people in Kerala who wanted casteist practices to continue. A wire report from 1934 said Gandhi was given a “hostile reception” in Palghat (Palakkad). “Hundreds of Orthodox Hindus today greeted Gandhi’s arrival with black flags and cries of: ‘Go back, Gandhi. Your anti-religious propaganda is sowing the seeds of disunion and violence,’” the report said. The Palakkad protestors blocked Gandhi’s car by lying on the ground, and had to be removed by the police. Media reports of the time, however, seemed to suggest that a growing number of uppercaste Hindus supported Gandhi. The Guardian said “energy and enthusiasm” were on the Mahatma’s side. Guruvayur became a symbol of the movement for social justice in Kerala in that era. “Not that Guruvayur is a temple of extraordinary importance, but it is situated in the stronghold of orthodoxy and traditional Hinduism, the Malayali-speaking country (sic) on the southwest coast, where the pure castes are more more pure and the impure pollute at a longer range than in any other part of India,” the British paper said. The Travancore proclamation of 1936 did not lead to any similar changes in the Cochin state or the Malabar district. It would take another 11 years before Dalits in those parts of Kerala were legally allowed inside Hindu temples. Mahatma Gandhi was alive to witness these changes, but by that time, India was in the midst of the Partition and the communal violence and refugee crisis created by the division of the country. Gandhi’s 1933 statement about Hinduism and untouchability remains relevant all these decades later. It’s a shame that there are still temples in India that do not allow entry to Dalits, despite this being illegal. Caste discrimination in various other forms also lives on across the country- something the Mahatma would be deeply ashamed about. Ajay Kamalakaran Courtesy : ON manorama Note: This news is originally published on https:/onmanorama.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
“I’m sorry, you’re SC, we can’t hire you.” A young man in Haryana was fired from his job after being asked about his caste two hours after joining.
A Dalit youth in Panipat, Haryana, has leveled serious allegations against a private company. He claims he was fired from his HR position because of his caste. During the interview, the company owner and others abused him with caste-related slurs and pushed him. A complaint has been filed at Sector 13 and 17 police stations, and the police are investigating the matter. Panipat. A shocking incident has come to light in Panipat, Haryana, where a young man was fired because he belonged to the Dalit community. Rizul Kumar, a resident of Babarpur Mandi, said he was selected for the HR position after an interview at Ela Home Fashions Company on GT Road, Panipat. After his selection, Rizul was asked to meet the company’s General Manager. The youth went to the GM’s cabin to meet him. It is alleged that the General Manager asked about his caste instead of his qualifications. After providing his caste, Rizul returned home. About two hours later, the company official called Rijul and said, “I’m sorry, we can’t hire you. You belong to a Scheduled Caste. This isn’t covered by our policy.” Hearing this, the young man was shocked. The young man explained that when he went to the company with his sister to inquire about the reason for the dismissal, he and his sister were insulted with casteist slurs. The young man alleges that the company owner’s mother also used casteist slurs and pushed the two siblings out of the company. The victim went to Sector 13 and 17 police stations and filed a complaint against the company owner’s mother, the General Manager, and the HR for insulting him with casteist slurs. The station in-charge stated that the matter would be thoroughly investigated. The young man stated that his salary and all formalities had been completed. He alleged that the company promised to offer jobs based on caste. He said that he was stressed the entire night. The senior HR also made caste-related comments and even attempted to assault him. Reported by:Sumit Kumar Edited by:Vinod Kumar Katwal About the Author Vinod Kumar Katwal, a Season journalist with 14 years of experience across print and digital media. I have worked with some of India’s most respected news organizations, including Dainik Bhaskar, IANS, Punjab Kesari, and Amar Ujala. Currently serving as the Bureau Chief for Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, I lead and oversee comprehensive coverage across key regions, ensuring impactful, accurate, and timely reporting. With a strong command over political and crime reportage, I am passionate about in-depth storytelling, ground reporting, and delivering sharp, trustworthy journalism. Courtesy : Hindi News
Caste tensions flare up over temple entry in Kurnool
The incident once again highlighted the persistence of caste-based discrimination in rural areas despite constitutional guarantees of equality and social justice. KURNOOL: Tension prevailed in Juturu village of Patikonda mandal in Kurnool district after Dalits were allegedly prevented from entering a newly constructed Anjaneya Swamy temple by members of upper castes. Following complaints from affected families, police and revenue officials intervened to restore normalcy and ensure temple access for the Scheduled Caste community. Though the incident occurred on Saturday, it came to light on Monday after videos and messages related to the issue went viral on social media platforms. According to Patikonda DSP Venkataramaiah, the Revenue Divisional Officer and the DSP personally supervised the situation immediately after receiving information about the incident and arranged heavy police security at temple premises. Under tight police bandobast, Dalits entered the temple and offered special prayers in the presence of officials. The DSP said officials took adequate measures to prevent any untoward incidents and deployed a police picket in the village as a precautionary measure. The incident once again highlighted the persistence of caste-based discrimination in rural areas despite constitutional guarantees of equality and social justice. 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
Under pressure from youth booked for stalking and harassment, teen Dalit girl ends life in MP
Niwari, A Class 10 Dalit student committed suicide in Madhya Pradesh’s Niwari district on Sunday after she was allegedly pressured by a man against whom she had lodged a complaint of stalking and harassment a couple of days ago, a police official said. The 16-year-old girl hanged herself in her house in Siyakhas village, around 18 km from the district headquarters, Prithvipur police station house officer (SHO) Jitendra Singh Gurjar told PTI. “She had earlier complained against Abhishek Yadav, a youth from the same village, after he allegedly caught hold of the girl with malicious intent when she was returning home from a temple with her sister-in-law two days ago,” he said. Following her complaint, Yadav and three others were booked under provisions of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said. “The accused allegedly pressured the girl’s family to withdraw the case. Possibly due to fear and pressure, she took the extreme step. Yadav has been arrested,” Gurjar said. This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. Courtesy : The Print Note: This news is originally published on https:/theprint.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights