Thirty years on, justice remains elusive for Dalits in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Haryana
A chapter in a major 30-year review of the PoA Act argues that institutional failures, rather than legislative gaps, remain the biggest obstacle to justice Thirty years after Parliament enacted the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, a landmark review of the law has concluded that the promise of justice for Dalits and Adivasis remains far from realised. Published by the Human Rights Advocacy and Research Foundation (HRF), The Elusive Search for Justice: 30 Year Review of the SCs & STs (PoA) Act brings together the work of former civil servants, lawyers, academics, human rights defenders and Dalit rights activists to assess how India’s principal anti-atrocities legislation has functioned over three decades. Across its chapters, the report paints a troubling picture of rising atrocities, persistently low conviction rates, and poor implementation of victim compensation schemes, weak monitoring mechanisms, and widespread institutional failures that continue to undermine access to justice. The report’s central conclusion is that while Parliament has repeatedly strengthened the law through amendments and expanded protections for victims, the institutions responsible for implementing these safeguards have largely failed to match the law’s ambition. Among the most revealing contributions to the volume is a chapter by activist, writer and human rights defender Vidya Bhushan Rawat, who examines the functioning of the Act in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Haryana. While the broader report identifies national trends of weak implementation and institutional apathy, Rawat’s chapter shows how these failures manifest on the ground, in police stations, district administrations, courts and villages across northern India. Unlike chapters that focus on legislative history or national statistics, Rawat’s contribution is rooted in lived experiences. Drawing on field investigations, case studies, Right to Information disclosures and years of engagement with Dalit communities, he examines the obstacles faced by survivors seeking justice under the PoA Act. Rawat’s account suggests that the greatest barriers often emerge not in the courtroom but much earlier, at the stages of complaint registration, investigation and administrative response. Rawat’s central argument is that the crisis confronting the PoA Act is no longer one of legislative inadequacy. Over three decades, Parliament has progressively strengthened the law, expanded the list of recognised offences, enhanced victim protections and introduced new accountability mechanisms. Yet the effectiveness of these provisions ultimately depends upon the willingness of police officers, prosecutors, district administrations and local governments to enforce them. It is at this level, he argues, that the law repeatedly breaks down. The result is a system in which the formal existence of legal rights often bears little resemblance to the realities experienced by Dalit survivors attempting to access protection, accountability and justice. The hidden crisis behind atrocity statistics Rawat begins by challenging a common assumption that official crime statistics adequately capture the scale of caste violence. For many observers, NCRB data provides the principal measure of atrocities committed against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Rawat argues that these figures reveal only a fraction of the reality. The larger problem, he suggests, lies in the vast number of incidents that never enter official records at all. Across Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring states, Dalit complainants frequently encounter resistance at the very first stage of the criminal justice process. Police officials may refuse to register FIRs under the PoA Act, dilute charges, classify incidents as ordinary criminal disputes, or encourage parties to arrive at informal compromises. In many villages, survivors must navigate local power structures before they can even reach a police station. The consequence is that official statistics may reflect only those cases that successfully overcome multiple layers of institutional resistance. Rawat argues that any assessment of the PoA Act that relies exclusively on registered cases risks overlooking the structural barriers that prevent countless incidents from being formally recognised as atrocities in the first place. Uttar Pradesh: The limits of legal protection Among the three states examined, Uttar Pradesh occupies a central place in Rawat’s analysis. The state has long recorded some of the highest numbers of crimes against Scheduled Castes in the country. Yet Rawat contends that these figures tell only part of the story. The deeper problem lies in the persistent inability of victims to secure meaningful justice after a case is reported. According to the chapter, many police officials continue to approach caste atrocities through the lens of local disputes rather than recognising them as manifestations of entrenched social discrimination. Complaints are often discouraged, investigations delayed, and statutory provisions under the PoA Act either ignored or improperly applied. Rawat argues that this administrative response reflects a broader reluctance within state institutions to confront caste power directly. Rather than functioning as neutral enforcers of the law, institutions frequently mirror the social hierarchies that the legislation was intended to challenge. The Case of Shivam: A child, a crushed arm, and a system that failed To illustrate these dynamics, Rawat recounts the case of Shivam, an eight-year-old Dalit child from Jaunpur district whose arm was allegedly crushed in a sugarcane-crushing machine owned by an upper-caste family in December 2015. The incident should have triggered an immediate legal response. Instead, according to the account presented in the chapter, the family encountered resistance from law-enforcement authorities when they sought to pursue the matter. Efforts to register a complaint were allegedly met with indifference, while those assisting the family reportedly faced hostility from officials. What makes the case particularly significant for Rawat is not merely the injury itself but the social environment surrounding it. The family belonged to a community economically dependent upon dominant-caste landowners. Villagers were reportedly unwilling to speak openly about the incident, fearing repercussions. The imbalance of power was such that even seeking justice carried social and economic risks. Ultimately, concerns for safety and survival reportedly forced the family to leave the village. For Rawat, the episode demonstrates how caste violence cannot be understood solely as a criminal act. It is sustained by relationships of economic dependence, social exclusion and institutional indifference that make accountability exceptionally difficult to achieve. Hundreds of cases, no convictions Perhaps the
Krishna Lanka CI Case: Dalit Youth’s Father Seeks Justice Over
Suicide He urged Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, and other officials to respond immediately to the incident and sought an investigation to ensure justice for his son. Venkateswara Rao also denied allegations that he had compromised with the police. Vijayawada: The alleged disappearance of G Sai Krishna, whose mother accused Vijayawada’s Krishna Lanka police CI Nagaraju of torturing her son to death and then secretly cremating his body without the knowledge of family members, has created a sensation in the state of Andhra Pradesh. In the lines of this case, a selfie video surfaced of a Dalit man, Perupogu Kranthi Kumar, who alleged that he was tortured by the tainted CI Nagaraju and was taking his life, unable to bear the harassment. The incident took place on May 21 Perupogu Venkateswara Rao Madiga, the father of the deceased, who is the AP MRPS State President, has appealed to AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to order an inquiry and take action against the former CI, alleging that his son committed suicide due to the CI’s actions. Speaking to the media at the Vijayawada Press Club on Friday, he also made some allegations about how the police system worked and said that some police officials turn rowdy-sheeters into informants for personal gain and subject individuals to torture using “third-degree” methods if they do not comply with their demands. He also stated that police harassment on the grounds of caste-based slurs came to light only because his son had recorded a selfie video before his suicide, mentioning that since he was a Dalit, he was being subjected to harassment. He urged Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, and other officials to respond immediately to the incident and sought an investigation to ensure justice for his son. Venkateswara Rao also denied allegations that he had compromised with the police and accepted Rs 10 lakhs. The suspended inspector has been charged with wrongful confinement, murder and destruction of evidence under the BNS Act, and a high-level team is currently conducting a comprehensive investigation into the case. Courtesy : Deccan Chronicle Note: This news is originally published on https:/deccanchronicle.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
30-year-old Dalit man beheaded in UP’s Sant Kabir Nagar
According to the police, the murder was the result of that personal rivalry. LUCKNOW: A 30-year-old Dalit man was brutally beheaded with a sword at a market square in Sant Kabir Nagar, in eastern UP, allegedly to avenge a slap five days earlier. The victim had confronted and slapped the accused after he allegedly molested his niece during a wedding ceremony. According to the police, the murder was the result of that personal rivalry. Meanwhile, enraged villagers started protesting by blocking the road at the Babhani intersection. During this, the shop and house of the accused Nasir were set on fire. The incident took place late on Thursday night in the Bakhira police station area, around 28 km from the district headquarters. Victim Anand, a resident of Kolki Chamarsan village in the Bakhira police station area, was returning home when the accused, Nasir Ali (18), a resident of a nearby village, along with four accomplices, allegedly surrounded him and attacked him with a sword. The blow to his throat was so severe that Anand, who used to work as a tile layer in Chennai, died on the spot. Eyewitness and the deceased’s cousin, Rohit, stated that Anand had come to Babhani Chowk around 7 PM to deliver a machine. After delivering the machine, he bought some items and stayed at the chowk for a long time. Then, late at night, he was returning home. Police from three police stations reached the spot after receiving information. SP Sandeep Kumar Meena and CO also arrived with force. They pacified and calmed down the angry villagers. Late at 11 PM, ADG Ashok Mutha Jain, DIG Sanjeev Tyagi, and DM Alok Kumar also reached the spot. Police have deployed several teams in search of the main accused, Nasir Ali and his associates. It is being told that there is a distance of about two kilometres between Nasir’s and Anand’s houses. When the police started taking the body for a post-mortem, angry family members tried to stop the ambulance and scuffled with the police. Meanwhile, on Friday, a large number of women came out on the streets carrying sticks in protest and demanded the encounter of the accused. “My husband was brutally murdered. We want life for a life, nothing less than that,” said the wife of the deceased. Currently, based on the complaint of the deceased’s father, the police have registered a case against four accused, including three named individuals. The accused include Nasir and Nirhu, residents of Kusumha village in Bakheera police station area, Jaigam, a resident of Jivdhara village, and one other unknown person. Anand got married around seven years ago. Besides his wife, he has two daughters. The elder daughter, Ananya, is three years old, while the younger daughter, Aradhya, is six months old. Anand was the youngest of three brothers. According to family members, he had come home from Chennai on May 6 and was preparing to return a few days later. ADG Ashok Mutha Jain said that the victim had stopped in the market to buy goods. During that time, he was murdered by slitting his throat. In the initial investigation, a case of dispute at a wedding ceremony had come to light. Several police teams were continuously conducting raids to arrest the accused. The police tried to pacify the villagers, but they did not agree. Women started banging sticks in front of the police. They started pushing and shoving. The police used force to snatch the sticks from the women. Seeing the anger of the villagers, the police swiftly took bulldozer action on the main accused Nasir’s barber shop and his associates’ chicken shop on Friday afternoon. The police demolished all three temporary shops. Namita Bajpai 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
‘Ensure there are no glitches, students been through enough stress’: Rahul Gandhi to govt ahead of Sunday’s NEET re-exam
NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi on Saturday shared a message for students and the govt ahead of NEET re-exam on Sunday. “To everybody taking the Re-NEET exam, hope you have a really wonderful, excellent exam and all of you do well. Remember we’re with you. We want to look after you, protect you and make sure that you have brilliant future. Love all of you,” he said addressing the aspirants. Then he directed the next part to the Prime Minister and to the government saying, “Please ensure that there are no glitches this time. The students have been through enough stress and they really cannot afford to go through it again.” Earlier in the day, Rahul had spoken about NEET, with reference to a reports about a Nagpur student being assigned centre in Abu Dhabi. “How did this even happen? Yesterday, no student should have had any complaint about not being able to reach their center. The NTA is actually just testing the patience of the country’s children and their parents. A system that can’t provide a center in a child’s own city but can send them abroad instead—it has no right to conduct exams,” he said. However, NTA later gave a clarifications aying that the student himself chose it as the option from the applicant login. Read more: NTA says Nasik candidate himself selected Abu Dhabi option 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
‘Stop gambling with children’s future’: Rahul Gandhi attacks govt over NEET-UG re-test centre blunder
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday criticised the Modi government after a NEET-UG aspirant from Nagpur was allotted Abu Dhabi as the examination centre for the re-test, saying the authorities should “stop gambling” with the future of children. Responding to the issue, the National Testing Agency (NTA) said the grievance is being looked into and that, after due verification, the candidate will be allotted a centre in Nagpur within the next few hours. In a Hin post on X, Gandhi wrote, “A student from Nagpur had been preparing for the NEET re-exam for a month. He downloaded his admit card just a day before the exam. His assigned centre was in Abu Dhabi. He has no passport, his family lacks the funds to send him abroad, and there is no time left. He wept all night and is refusing to take the exam – can one even imagine the level of stress involved?” “How did this even happen? No student should have to face the issue of being unable to reach their exam centre. In reality, the NTA is merely testing the patience of the country’s students and their parents,”Gandhi said. Gandhi asserted that a system which fails to allot a student an examination centre in their own city and instead assigns one abroad has no right to conduct exams, news agency PTI reported. He further stated, “Stop gambling with our children’s future. They deserve a sensitive, responsible, and accountable education and examination system – and we will ensure they get it.” Gandhi launched a signature campaign to highlight issues concerning the country’s education system on Thursday. The campaign includes paper leaks and high fees, etc. He described the campaign as a platform through which students can directly place their demands before the government. His call for participation came a day after he interacted with students at a convention in Kota, Rajasthan. During the interaction, he termed India’s education system a “rejection system” rather than a selection system. He alleged that the system imposes a heavy financial burden and causes intense stress for students and middle-class families. Addressing the gathering in Kota, a hub for coaching centres, Gandhi said the present education framework is “extremely stressful and unfair”. The NTA had earlier cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 examination scheduled on May 3 following allegations of a paper leak. The government then directed the CBI to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. 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
‘Rahul Gandhi exposed’: BJP targets Congress leader after Shashi Tharoor’s PM Modi praise over Trump meet
NEW DELHI: The BJP on Saturday seized on senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s remarks praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that the comments had exposed a contradiction within the Congress party’s stance towards the Prime Minister. Reacting to Tharoor’s observations, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. “Shashi Tharoor exposes Rahul Gandhi. Congress Leader praises PM @narendramodi Ji’s diplomacy. When it Comes to Protecting India’s National Interest PM Modi comes first; When it comes to speaking against India’s National interest Rahul Gandhi leaves everyone behind!” said BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari in a post on X. The BJP’s response came after Tharoor praised PM Modi-Trump meet. “PM Modi made his point clear both in the public and private meetings with the President. It is important to convey the message that in wartime, civilian sailors on commercial ships should not be targets of combat. They are not soldiers, and that is the message Mr. Modi conveyed,” Tharoor said. He went on acknowledged several aspects of PM Modi’s leadership, calling him “powerful orator, one of the best orators the country has seen in Hindi”. “I think we all recognise that he has a tremendous amount of dynamism and energy. He has a vision, whether you agree with that vision or not. He is a powerful orator, one of the best orators the country has seen in Hindi. He reaches out particularly to those who speak that language,” Tharoor had said. He has a very compelling presence on the national stage. Undoubtedly, he has been able to leave his stamp on many aspects of Indian life, society and politics, the economy, particularly the building of the infrastructure is one of Mr Modi’s achievements as long as the highways, ports and airports stand. Though there is still always room for improvement,” he added. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla intensified the attack on Rahul Gandhi, claiming that senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had “busted” the opposition leader’s narrative by praising PM Modi and acknowledging his handling of key national issues. Poonawalla said the Congress had repeatedly accused the prime minister of “surrendering” on national issues and failing to raise concerns regarding Indian sailors. According to him, Tharoor’s comments directly contradicted those claims. “It was Rahul Gandhi’s birthday. But Dr Tharoor has given him a very good gift by busting his fake narrative. Because Rahul Gandhi’s Congress was constantly saying surrender, surrender, saying the PM has not raised the issue of sailors,” he said. “Now Dr Tharoor contradicts him, busts his fake narrative, says that the PM has raised the issue, conveyed India’s point. And not only that, he has praised Prime Minister Modi for being visionary, dynamic, having a great presence, leaving a mark on Indians and has said he is a great orator. So I think Rahul Gandhi must be burning with anger. I just hope that he does not take action against Dr Tharoor,” he added. PM Modi and US President Donald Trump held their first bilateral meeting in 16 months on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France, on Wednesday. During the talks, PM Modi highlighted concerns over the safety of Indian seafarers operating not only near the Strait of Hormuz but across the wider Gulf region. Trump, meanwhile, praised the PM Modi, describing him as a “tough negotiator” and remarking on his strong public presence. 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 student suicide: Kerala HC denies anticipatory bail to Kannur Dental College professor Dr. MK Ram
Dr MK Ram stands accused of verbally harassing a dalit student, Nithin Raj, who later died by suicide. The Kerala High Court on Friday dismissed an anticipatory bail plea filed by Kannur Dental College professor, Dr. M Kodanda Ram, who is accused of verbally harassing a Dalit student, Nithin Raj, who died by suicide in April [Dr. M Kodanda Ram v State of Kerala & ors]. Nithin Raj, a dental college student in Kerala, died by suicide on April 10 after jumping from a building near the college. Before his demise, Raj is alleged to have faced caste-based harassment from the faculty at the dental college. Dr. Ram, the head of the department at the dental college, is the prime accused in the case. The police booked Dr. Ram and two other staff members for abetment of suicide and for offences under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (SC/ST Act), based on a complaint by the student’s father. Dr. Ram and another accused faculty member Dr. Sangeetha Nambiar, had earlier approached a sessions court seeking anticipatory bail. While the sessions court granted the relief to Dr. Nambiar on April 25, it denied anticipatory bail to Dr Ram. This prompted him to approach the High Court for anticipatory bail. The State opposed the plea. The State’s Public Prosecutor told the Court that the statements of two students indicated that Dr Ram’s conduct with students was improper and that he even instigated other teachers to harass the deceased student. During hearings, the Court had made observations regarding recurring allegations of harassment in medical colleges and suggested that the state should consider constituting a committee to study such complaints and recommend remedial measures. Meanwhile, Dr Ram’s counsel denied the allegations of caste-based harassment. The counsel relied on CCTV footage showing Raj in the college principal’s room before his death and documents indicating loan recovery harassment faced by the student. After considering the rival submissions, the Court has dismissed his plea today. Dr. Ram’s plea was filed through advocates S Rajeev, V Vinay, MS Aneer, Anilkumar CR, Sarath KP, Dipa V, KS Kiran Krishnan, Akash Cherian Thomas, Azad Sunil, TP Aravind, Maheswar Padickal, Akshara S and Nivedita Rajeev. Praisy Thomas Courtesy : Bar And Bench Note: This news is originally published on https:/barandbench.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Chennai Police Files Charge-sheet against 6 Cops in Custodial Death of Dalit Youth
The CB-CID has filed a charge sheet against six police officials in connection with the alleged custodial death of a 26-year-old The case pertains to the death of Delison, a resident of Krishnarajapuram in Manamadurai, who was detained on March 5 in connection with an attempted murder case. He succumbed to severe injuries on March 8 while undergoing treatment at the Chennai: The CB-CID has filed a charge sheet against six police officials in connection with the alleged custodial death of a 26- year-old Dalit youth, Akash Delison, in Sivaganga district earlier this year, police said on Friday. The police personnel named in the charge sheet are Inspector of Police Dileepan, Sub-Inspector Gugan, Head Constables Palani (Madhagupatty Police Station) and Deivendran (Sivagangai Town PS), and Grade 1 Constables Kaleeswaran (Manamadurai PS) and Mahendran (Thiruppuvanam PS) The case pertains to the death of Delison, a resident of Krishnarajapuram in Manamadurai, who was detained on March 5 in connection with an attempted murder case. He succumbed to severe injuries on March 8 while undergoing treatment at the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai. While the local police initially claimed that the youth sustained a severe leg fracture after jumping from a bridge while attempting to escape, his family alleged that he was subjected to brutal torture. According to his relatives and a dying declaration reportedly given to a judicial magistrate, officers severely beat his legs with an iron rod during interrogation. Forensic experts also later flagged significant discrepancies in the initial medical reports, noting massive internal tissue damage inconsistent with a simple fall. The youth’s death triggered massive outrage and a prolonged protest by his family, who refused to accept his body for over 100 days while demanding the arrest of the erring personnel. The standoff ended only recently after the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court intervened, leading to a state-conducted cremation under heavy police security. Following the widespread uproar, the investigation was transferred to the CB-CID, which suspended the involved officials and has now formally filed the charge sheet Courtesy : Deccan Chronicle Note: This news is originally published on https:/deccanchronicle.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Dalit’ is a term of unity for the oppressed: Social Justice Minister Vanni Arasu
Intervening, Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna said the MLA had used the term several times and requested members to avoid it. CHENNAI: There was a brief debate in the state Assembly on Friday over the appropriate term to refer to Scheduled Caste communities. The issue arose during the discussion on the motion thanking the governor’s address, when AIADMK MLA V Sampathkumar from Harur used the term “suppressed people” while referring to the Scheduled Castes. Intervening, Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna said the MLA had used the term several times and requested members to avoid it. He said SC communities should instead be referred to as ‘Scheduled Caste people’ or ‘Adi Dravidar people’. He added that MLAs need not use words that could be seen as lowering the dignity of a community. Social Justice Minister Vanni Arasu joined the discussion and offered a different view. He said the term ‘Dalit’ had been widely promoted by the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi as part of its struggle against caste discrimination. According to him, the word had become a symbol of unity for oppressed communities across India and represented more than just a label. Vanni Arasu said the term had helped bring together people facing caste-based discrimination and had gained socio-political significance over the years. Referring to debates involving Dr B R Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi on how marginalised communities should be addressed, he said names and identities carried political and social meaning. At the same time, the minister said there was nothing wrong in using the term ‘Adi Dravidar’, as it was also officially recognised and linked to the name of the government department dealing with the welfare of these communities. The discussion ended without any formal decision, but highlighted differing views on the terminology used to refer to SC communities. 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
Two get eight life terms each for attempt to murder four Dalits in Coimbatore
Police said, a private poultry farm at Kullichettipalayam had employed six Dalit families and four OBC families, and they were provided quarters near the farm. COIMBATORE: The Special Court in Coimbatore for the exclusive trial of cases under the SC/ST (PoA) Act awarded eight life terms each to two accused who had tried to murder poultry farm workers in a village near Kinathukkadavu in 2017 after hurling caste slurs at them. Police said, a private poultry farm at Kullichettipalayam had employed six Dalit families and four OBC families, and they were provided quarters near the farm. On November 3, 2017, OBC members played movie songs that had references to their caste. The Dalits too started playing songs about their community, fuelling tension. Subsequently, four Dalits were assaulted by OBC members, and they were admitted to hospitals. The injured were identified as K Karuppu, M Kalimuthu, his brother M Sadayandi and R Sundarraj, all from Dindigul. Police arrested P Senthilkumar (34) and V Chinnadurai (43), both from Thoothukudi, in connection with the case. Senthilkumar and Chinnadurai were consuming alcohol near the quarters when Dalits played the song. Irked, the duo assaulted them with a sickle and an iron rod, police said. On Friday, the court awarded eight life terms and imposed a fine of `16,000 on each accused. 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