Rajasthan: Jats mow down three dalits under tractors

By NewsGram Staff Writer

The residents of Nagaur district's Dangawas, in Rajasthan, witnessed a gruesome incident in which some members of the dominant upper castes, the jats, crushed three dalits under tractors. Several other people including women were also seriously injured in the spine-chilling act of violence. The brutal incident picked fire when the dalit community fired shots, killing one dominant caste member.

This disturbing incident was caused by a dispute over a 20ha farm land, claimed by dalit members Ratnaram Meghwal, Gutaram Meghwal and Khemaral Meghwal. However, the upper caste family of Chimnaram Jat contended the claim. This dispute has been lying unresolved for several years in court.

The issue reached at a crescendo on Thursday when the upper caste jat family arranged a panchayat and summoned the Meghwals. The dalit families, thinking that the jats were gathering to attack them, fired two men who were sent to summon them.

One of the two men died on the spot, which infuriated the jats and they perpetrated violence on the dalits, bulldozing their houses, molesting the women, mowing the men under their tractors.

Moreover, several armed upper assailants reached the hospital at Merta city and prevented the doctors to give medical treatment to the dalits. Police force had to be called to make sure that the injured are being treated properly.

One of the injured woman told Times of India, "Four attackers tried to remove my 'ghaghra' (skirt) and tried to thrust a stick inside."

Another woman said, "They pulled me by my hair for about 50 meters, tore off my clothes and hit my legs with iron-rods."

The newspaper reported that the chief functionary of Jaipur-based Centre for Dalit Rights, P.L. Mimroth demanded police security for the dalits in and around Dangawas.

"The government must ensure medical treatment of the injured and arrest the accused immediately, booking them under the SC/ST Act. Law and order in the region has completely failed," said Mimroth.

"The government should compensate the victims who were abiding by court orders on the disputed land," he added.

As per the report, SP Nagaur, HGR Suhasaa thinks otherwise and does not perceive this incident as a Dalit versus upper caste violence.

"The accused include the Meghwals as well, and not just the Jats. The village has a population of around 15,000 including 2,000 dalits. Complaints have been lodged by the two disputing parties and in both the FIRs, the accused include Meghwals," Suhasaa told the newspaper.

The SP added that the accused will be arrested soon.