Uttar Pradesh Court Sentences Three to Death for 1981 Dalit Massacre
Three men received the death penalty for the 1981 murders of 24 Dalits in Uttar Pradesh. The court categorized the murders as “rarest of the rare,” allowing for capital punishment. Relatives of the victims welcomed the decision but expressed the pain of delayed justice. The case illustrates the troubling pace of legal proceedings in caste-related offenses in India.
A court in Uttar Pradesh, India has sentenced three men to death for the 1981 massacre of 24 individuals from the Dalit community. The victims, including women and children, were killed in Dehuli village by a group of armed men. The special court determined that the murders fell into the “rarest of the rare” category, justifying the death penalty under Indian law. The convicted individuals maintain their innocence and have the right to appeal the decision.
The relatives of the victims expressed relief at the verdict but noted the delay in obtaining justice. Sanjay Chaudhry lamented, “Justice came very late to us. The accused have lived their lives,” emphasizing the prolonged wait since the crime occurred.
Only three of the original suspects remain, with 13 of the 17 accused having passed away since the attack. The incident took place on November 18, 1981, when a group primarily from the upper caste, dressed in police uniforms, assaulted the village. This act of violence was reportedly sparked by the murder of a Dalit gang member by his upper-caste partners, leading them to suspect local Dalits of cooperating with law enforcement.
Witness Rakesh Kumar recounted the horror of the day, describing how he hid during the shooting, which lasted over four hours. His mother, Chameli Devi, now 80, vividly remembers the chaos, stating, “They did not spare anyone, including women or children. Whoever they found was killed.”
The incident caused significant fear among the Dalit population, prompting many to flee Dehuli. In response, local authorities dispatched police to the village for an extended period. It also raised considerable political concerns, garnering attention from then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who visited the victims shortly after the event.
The legal process has been notably slow; the case was transferred multiple times, concluding recently in a special court in Mainpuri. Unfortunately, lengthy trials are common in India, particularly for cases involving marginalized communities, as evidenced by another 1981 caste crime verdict issued to a 90-year-old man recently.
The death penalty sentenced to three individuals for the 1981 Dalit massacre underscores both the delayed justice and the historical violence against marginalized communities in India. While the verdict brings some closure, it also highlights the challenges of prolonged legal processes in such sensitive cases. This verdict, amidst ongoing conversations about caste-based violence, may serve as a catalyst for further discussion and reform in India’s judicial approach to similar crimes.
Original Source: www.bbc.com
