SC panel issues notice to Ch’garh admin after Dalit killed in Police Custody

National Commission for Scheduled Castes has taken cognizance of the custodial death of a Dalit youth in Janjgir-Champa district of Chhattisgarh for demanding restoration of electricity in his locality and issued notices to the administration asking them for personal appearance along with all relevant documents.

“Dr P L Punia, Chairman of the Commission, has desired to hold discussion with you in this case on October 11, 2016 at 10.45 AM… at the headquarters of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, New Delhi,” the notice from the SC Commission said.

 Asking both the Collector and the Superintendent of Police of the Janjgir-Champa district to remain presence along with all relevant documents and the action taken report, the Commission said it wanted to investigate the matter, according to the letter. 

The Scheduled Castes Commission has issued notices after taking cognizance of the letter written by the Leader of Opposition in Chhattisgarh Assembly T S Singhdeo on the matter after a Dalit youth was on September 17, last was allegedly killed in police custody in Janjgir-Champa district for demanding restoration of electricity in his locality. 

Accusing the Raman Government as anti-dalit and anti-tribal, the main opposition Congress petitioned various constitutional bodies, including the SC Commission and the NHRC, urging them to personally probe the incident.

Singhdeo said “there has been many fold increase in atrocities against dalit and tribals in Chhattisgarh. And it becomes serious when police and administration are found involved in such incidents.” 

He also said there was no electricity in Sagarpara area of Mulmula police station in Janjgir-Champa district for a week. When Satish Kumar Norge, a dalit, 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, because of which he died on September 17 last, he added.