Custodial death: Cong calls Chhattisgarh govt anti-Dalit, anti-tribal; moves NHRC

BJP Government in Chhattisgarh is caught on a wrong foot after a Dalit youth was allegedly killed in police custody in Janjgir-Champa district for demanding restoration of electricity in his locality. The main opposition Congress even branded the Raman Singh Government as anti-Dalit, anti-tribal and petitioned the NHRC chairman to personally probe the incident and issue appropriate direction to the state government.

“There has been many fold increase in atrocities against dalit and tribals in Chhattisgarh. And the matter becomes serious when police and administration are found involved in such incidents,” Leader of Opposition TS Singhdeo said on Tuesday.

In a letter to the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission Justice HL Dattu, Singhdeo said there was no electricity in Sagarpara area of Mulmula police station of Janjgir-Champa district for a week. When a dalit Satish Kumar Narange went to the electricity office and demanded restoration of power in his locality, on complaint of the electricity officials, he was arrested by the local police and assaulted severely in the police station, which could be evident from the visible injury marks on various parts of his body, because of which he died on last Saturday, he added.

“Police did not stop there and when Satish started vomiting blood due to assault, his 10-year-old son, who was nearby, had been asked by police to sweep the floor to remove the blood vomit,” the senior Congress leader said while questioning the sensitivity of Chhattisgarh Police.

Previously also Meena Khalko of Chando Police station of Balrampur district was raped and killed and Madkam Hidme of Gompad village of Sukma district met the same fate. And in both the cases of tribals, involvement of police was established but no visible action was taken against the accused, he said. Due to this incident, the dalit community was angry and various political parties have resorted to agitation and strike, Singhdeo said.