Village chief stuffs Dalit’s mouth with excreta in UP

Dalits Media Watch
News Updates 02.04.12

Village chief stuffs Dalit's mouth with excreta in UP - Deccan Herald
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/238845/village-chief-stuffs-dalits-mouth.html
Dalit leaders question arrest of Malekudiya student - Deccan Herald
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/238766/dalit-leaders-question-arrest-malekudiya.html
Government efforts pay off, SC/ST students shine - IBN Live
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/government-efforts-pay-off-scst-students-shine/244958-60-117.html

Deccan Herald

Village chief stuffs Dalit's mouth with excreta in UP
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/238845/village-chief-stuffs-dalits-mouth.html

Sanjay Pandey, Lucknow, April 1, 2012, DHNS:
In a shocking incident, a "pradhan" (village panchayat chief) and his supporters allegedly stuffed human excreta into the mouth of a Dalit youth in Uttar Pradesh's Lalitpur district.

According to a complaint registered with the police, the culprits, residents of Mailwara Khurd village in the district, also thrashed the youth and threatened him with dire consequences if he dared to approach the police.

Police sources said that the youth had approached Chaliraja, the "pradhan" of the village on Thursday last and had sought funds for the construction of a lavatory near the homes of Dalits so that they could use them and did not have to defecate in the open.

As the youth continued to insist despite his pleas being summarily rejected, the "pradhan" and his supporters grew angry and began to thrash him, reports said. They later stuffed the youth's mouth with human excreta and let him go away with a warning against approaching the police.
The "humiliated" youth, however, gathered courage and along with a large number of the villagers approached the police officials and a report was lodged at Kotwali police station, sources said. The local BSP legislators Ramesh Kushwaha and Pheranlal Ahirwar also met the District Police Chief with the victim and urged him to take stern action against the culprits.

On rise
The two BSP leaders alleged that the incidents of atrocities on the dalits have been on the rise ever since the Samajwadi Party (SP) was formed in the state.  They also said that they will raise the matter in the state Assembly during its forthcoming session. Four people, including the "pradhan," have been named by the victim. All the four have been absconding and a massive manhunt has been launched to nab them. Special police teams have been formed and raids are being conducted at different places.

Deccan Herald

Dalit leaders question arrest of Malekudiya student
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/238766/dalit-leaders-question-arrest-malekudiya.html

Mangalore, Apr 1, 2012, DHNS :
SP says dept has enough evidences to support their move
The members of the dalit community and the police got into an altercation over the arrest of Vittal Malekudia, a Journalism student of Mangalore University, hailing from Kuthlur in Belthangady taluk, who was arrested by the ANF sleuths a month ago.

At the monthly grievance meet of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe members held at the Superintendent of Police's office on Sunday, dalit members questioned the basis on which Vittal was arrested.

Speaking at the meet, Dalita Hakkugala Horata Samiti President L Shekhar asked the Superintendent of Police the reason for Vittal's arrest and the subsequent tagging of the boy as an anti-national element.
The police have filed a FIR and arrested him without any proper evidence to prove his involvement in Maoist activities. In the FIR it is mentioned that the police have found steel plates, rice, sugar, tea and coffee powder and a text on Bhagath Singh at Vittal's home. "Don't you have all these things in your home too, Sir?

Is this a reason strong enough to arrest a student on the grounds of being a Maoist supporter?" he questioned.

SP Abhishek Goel replied that they have enough proof for arresting Vittal, which he may not be able to disclose in the meeting.

When Dalita Hakkugala Horata Samiti Secretary Eshwari Padmunja alleged the police of harassing Vittal Malekudiya's father Linganna Malekudiya, the SP refuted.

"Linganna had tried to escape the police and in the attempt he had broken his knee," said the SP.

In response to the allegation made by the dalit community members against the police of harassing Vittal and Linganna Malekudiya, Civil Rights Enforcement Cell SP Sarvoththama Pai said that if the father-son duo was  harassed then Vittal should have informed the same before the Judge when he was taken to the Court.

At one point, when the dalits made hue and cry over the arrest, the Superintendent of Police said that it was the ANF cops who had arrested Vittal and handed over to the local police and the Court has given the judicial custody. "If you find the process wrong, you can challenge it before the Court," he told Shekhar.

Dalit leader Krishnanda accused the Anti-Naxal Force (ANF) of arresting innocent people sporadically just to show that they are still active.

Various other issues including sexual harassment by a school teacher in Uppinangadi police station limits, misbehaviour by police constable at Nelyady OB were brought to the notice of the SP. To these issues, the SP directed the respective officers to follow up the cases and take immediate action.

IBN Live

Government efforts pay off, SC/ST students shine
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/government-efforts-pay-off-scst-students-shine/244958-60-117.html

Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: The performance of students in schools, run by the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Development Department, in high school certificate (HSC) examination has improved during the last three years. This is because of several steps taken by the State Government, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Development Minister Lalbihari Himirika has said.

To a question from Pravat Ranjan Biswal (BJD) in the Assembly, the Minister said the average pass percentage of students in matriculation examination in the Department-run schools was more than the overall pass percentage in all schools during the last three years.

While the overall success rate in the HSC examination in 2009 was 63.41 per cent, in schools, run by the Department, 72.29 per cent students had passed. In 2010 the figures were 71.74 per cent and 80.79 per cent. The success rate was 79.99 per cent in 2011 compared to 66.75 per cent overall. The State Government has initiated several measures for improving the quality of education imparted to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students. The Minister also said 2,000 posts of siksha sahayaks have been created for appointment in ashram schools and sevashrams.

For regular health check-up of the students, 336 posts of auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) have been created, he said. Scholarships of students, residing in hostels, have been increased. He said scholarships for boys have been increased from ` 500 to ` 600 a month while for girls it has been from ` 530 to ` 630. Besides, the Department is also providing 15-kg rice a month to each student at ` 2 a kg.

He said arrangements had been made for imparting special coaching for engineering entrance examination to select students from high schools run by the Department. He also said a decision had been taken to impart coaching for medical entrance examination to 100 talented SC and ST students in 2012-13.



.Arun Khote
On behalf of
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(An initiative of "Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre-PMARC")
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