On June 25th, a committee to investigate the assault of Dalit farmers was released, and revealed its findings at the Gadar Memorial Bhawan. The accused, Manjit Singh Gharachon, was found guilty, and inconsistencies in the conduct of the police were found.
Story: Anjali Soni
Edit: Nitya Kaimal
A fact-finding committee, constituted by several organizations to investigate the recent incident involving the beating of two Dalit youths by farmer leader Manjit Singh Gharachon, has released its report. The committee, comprising Mukesh Malaud, zonal president of the Zamin Prapati Sangharsh Committee; Nirmal Singh, a leader of the Dehati Mazdoor Sabha Punjab; and Ram Dhan Singh, a leader of the Ravidas Sewa Society, presented their findings at Gadar Memorial Bhawan.
The committee condemned the actions of Manjit Singh Gharachon, stating that the assault on the Dalit youths, Harjit and Aman, was intolerable. However, the report clarified that the altercation was not rooted in a looting incident or caste-based rivalry. Instead, it stemmed from a dispute related to a drug issue between the youths on both sides.
Also read: Local panchayat demands a bribe, Dalit family’s hut destroyed after refusal to pay.
The committee’s investigation revealed several irregularities in police conduct. Despite the arrest of the two Dalit youths at the scene, the police denied any arrests had been made. Additionally, the inclusion of another farmer leader, Jagtar Singh Laddi, in the First Information Report (FIR) raised further questions about police procedures.
Based on a statement by Harjit Singh, a case has been registered against farmer leaders Manjit Singh and Jagtar Singh Laddi, among others. The charges include Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Additionally, they face charges under Section 3 (i) (X) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, as amended in 2022, for the merciless beating and use of caste-based slurs against the victims.
Also read: Dalits protest in Gujarat against alleged caste-based attack on NSUI leader
The report has sparked a renewed debate on the treatment of Dalit individuals and the role of law enforcement in such incidents. The committee’s findings are expected to put pressure on authorities to ensure a fair and transparent investigation.
*दलित टाइम्स उन करोड़ो लोगो की आवाज़ है जिन्हें हाशिए पर रखा गया है। *
महिला, दलित और आदिवासियों के मुद्दों पर केंद्रित पत्रकारिता करने और मुख्यधारा की मीडिया में इनका प्रतिनिधित्व करने के लिए हमें आर्थिक सहयोग करें।
