NHRC issues notice to UP govt over death of dalit youth in Baghpat

LUCKNOW: The

National Human Rights Commission

(NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that a 19-year-old boy, belonging to a

Dalit

community and his 16-year-old nephew was, allegedly, assaulted by some upper caste people at the behest of the Pradhan of their village

Kamala

in district Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh on April 27, 2018. After this incident, most of the Dalit homes in the village were deserted. The elder of the two boys was beaten so brutally that he died of multiple organ failure triggered by renal trauma and septicaemia during medical treatment on May 7, 2018.

The Commission

has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious issue of violation of human rights of the victim as well as the other families belonging to the Dalit community, residing in the area. The incident indicates lawlessness in the region and plight of the people belonging to the Dalit community suffering due to highhandedness by the people belonging to upper caste. Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh calling for a detailed report in the matter.

The Commission has asked them to inform about the steps taken for the relief and rehabilitation of the affected families and to maintain law and order in the area. They have been given four weeks to respond.

According to the media reports, the youths were attacked following an affair between a Dalit man and a Gujjar woman of the village. Reportedly, the Inspector General of Police, Meerut Range has said that all the seven accused involved in the attack have been arrested and police personnel have been deployed near the house of the victim in a bid to prevent further flare-ups.

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