MP: Kin of two Dalit kids beaten to death get temporary houses

Shivpuri: Family members of two Dalit children, who were beaten to death in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district for defecating in the open last month, were on Monday shifted to temporary houses by local administration.

Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has claimed credit for the administrative action.

Roshni Balmiki (12) and Avinash Balmiki (10) were beaten to death allegedly by upper caste persons in Bhavkhedi village in Shivpuri district on September 25.

As the incident caused panic among Dalits in the village, efforts were being made to rehabilitate the Balmiki family members in Shivpuri town, located 25 kms away.

State Congress spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi said on Monday that Scindia visited the village on Sunday night and assured the family members of the deceased that he will not leave Shivpuri until they are shifted to a "safer place".

"On Scindia's instructions, the officials concerned finalised two temporary accommodations in Police Lines area in Shivpuri for the Balmiki family," he said.

According to Chaturvedi, some Congress members shifted belongings of the Balmikis in their own vehicles to the new dwelling of two rooms and a kitchen each.

Speaking to reporters, Scindia said he had assured the Balmiki family members that he would not leave Shivpuri until they are relocated properly.

"I will donate Rs 5-5.5 lakh for the construction of permanent residence for the affected family," he said.

Scindia said a chargesheet against the accused was filed in a court on Monday.

The former Guna MP also said he has written to Chief Minister Kamal Nath demanding ten bigha (around four-acre) land on lease for the Balmikis along with Rs 50 lakh compensation for each death and a government job to one of the family members.

The two accused, Hakim Yadav and his brother Rameshwar Yadav, were arrested after the incident and booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section for murder and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.