Attacks on Dalits continue unabated
Another Incident at Udwantnagar in Bhojpur
CPIML Bihar State Secretary Kunal said in a statement on 10 June 2020 that feudal-criminal attacks on dalits are continuing unabated in the State because Bihar government is tacitly complicit in the form of total absence of any effective action against the attackers. In recent days we have seen the massacres at Rupanchak in Gopalganj, Madhubani, Baruari in Muzaffrpur and various villages in Western Champaran where dalits have been brutally beaten up. Instead of controlling such incidents, the Bihar government is actually protecting the perpetrators. The people of Bihar must teach a befitting lesson to this government in the coming days.
In the most recent incidentat in Sewagar in Udwantnagar, Bhojpur feudal strongmen on the morning of 10 June shot dead Devvanti Devi (40 years) wife of Krishna Paswan. A CPIML fact-finding team comprising MLA Sudama Prasad, Raju Yadav, Dilraj Pritam, Ajay Gandhi, Ramanuj Kumar and Shivmangal Yadav visited the spot after the incident.
Sudama Prasad said that this incident is a characteristic example of feudal domination. Strongmen from the Rajput caste had obstructed the road to the dalit Tola with ‘Jatai’ thorn bushes on 9 June, but the dalits removed the thorns that night itself. This angered the feudal forces so much that they attacked the dalits, badly beating up and injuring Meena Devi (40) wife of Babulal Paswan and Jamuna Paswan d/o late Bihari Paswan. While this was being done in the middle of the road, the perpetrators entered the mohalla and shot dead Devvanti Devi from behind, killing her on the spot. There are four small children in her family. A case has been registered against Suraj Singh s/o Mithilesh Singh and other persons. But the main accused Suraj Singh has not been arrested yet.
Sudama Prasad pointed out that before this incident such brutal attacks have been numerous in Bhojpur, including heinous attacks on Musahars at Sara Musahari and rape and violence at Charpokhri. Today one person was shot and killed in the city’s Gausganj mohalla. But the administration remains mute and takes no action. He said that protests were organized across Bhojpur on 11 June to demand the arrest of Suraj Singh, compensation for the family of the deceased, and proper medical treatment for the injured.
