DALITS/SCHEDULED CASTES - 2013 - Indian Social Institute

(24), in May this year. Fearing retribution from the girl’s family, Ramesh, along with Sangeetha, escapedfrom the village. Subsequently, Sangeetha’s mother lodged a complaint against Ramesh. The coupleclaimed that despite their not knowing the whereabouts of their son, police had been harassing them. “Wereally don’t know where Ramesh is. Despite our repeatedly telling the police so, they have beenharassing us. I don’t even know whether he is alive or dead. ,” said Aathimoolam. Meanwhile,Superintendent of Police Asra Garg told Express that police would look into the matter and if any officialwas found guilty of harassing the dalit couple, stern action would be taken against him/her. (New IndianExpress 3/12/13)Eight of Dalit family attacked (2)DHARMAPURI: Eight members of the family of a Dalit woman who married a Vanniyar were injured in anattack allegedly by the Caste Hindus in Veppamarathur village near Bommidi in Dharmapuri district onWednesday evening. G. Suresh, husband of S. Sudha, told The Hindu over phone that about 20 men ledby the panchayat president Ranganathan attacked the family members with stones and wooden logs andalso abused them on caste lines. Suresh, his wife, father Gopal, mother Palaniammal, younger brother G.Ramesh and three others were injured in the incident. He said the attack took place immediately after theRevenue Divisional Officer, P. Menaka, the Harur Deputy Superintendent of Police, V. Sampath, visitedthe house to inquire about an application of Ms. Sudha for licence to possess a firearm. Mr. Sampath saidthe clash erupted after the panchayat president was allegedly attacked by Ms. Sudha and her familymembers in the presence of two policemen. It was also alleged that the policemen were attacked by Ms.Sudha and others when they tried to resist the assault on Mr. Ranganathan. The panchayat president anda few others who were reportedly injured in the attack were taken to a hospital. Meanwhile, the policepicket was increased in the area and further reinforcements were being rushed, Mr. Sampath added. Ms.Sudha had submitted a petition to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes in Chennai onNovember 28, seeking its help to obtain a gun licence. In her complaint, she alleged harassment andrepeated threats to her life even as the district administration had provided her police cover. Shecomplained of constant harassment which increased after the attack on Dalit colonies in Naikkankottaiafter the Ilavarasan-Divya marriage in 2012. Her family was not allowed to draw water from the commontap and even prevented from entering the temple. Ms. Sudha lodged a complaint with the Bommidi police,who registered a case under the provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989. Since noaction was taken against the accused, she filed a petition in the Madras High Court, which directed theDharmapuri distinct administration to provide adequate protection to the petitioner. (The Hindu 5/12/13)Minister Nanda accused of grabbing Dalit land in K’put (2)Bhubaneswar: Jeypore MLA and School and Mass Education Minister Rabi Narayan Nanda courtedfresh controversy after several Dalits brought an allegation against him that he grabbed over 12 acres oftheir land at Patraput under Jeypore tehsil in Koraput district. Demanding a high-level inquiry andappropriate action against Nanda for encroaching private and Government land along with pasture inPatraput, the members of the Dalit families of Leli Pangi, Daimati Pangi, Hari Pangi and Krushna Pangivillages staged a dharana in front of the residential office of the sub-collector at Jeypore on Tuesday.“The Minister has snatched away our land which was owned by our ancestors. When we yield crops, theMinister’s people forcefully take it from us. We have complained before many officials about the matter,but nobody is paying heed to our concerns,” said complainant Hari Pangi. Later, the family membershanded over a memorandum to the Governor through sub-collector Birendra Karkara, requestingappropriate action against the Minister. In the memorandum, they said the Minister and his wife IndiraNanda encroached over 12 acres of private land at Patraput owned by their ancestors. Even the Ministerconstructed walls on the encroached Government land and land for grazing in the same village. Thefamily members had complained before the tehsildar, sub-collector, District Collector and RevenueDivisional Commissioner (RDC) regarding the issue, but no action was taken against Nanda. It was a