Caste bias crackdown: 13 Village Development Committee members jailed in Nizamabad; social boycott over road row punished
Representative Image
HYDERABAD: Thirteen members of a 'Village Development Committee' (VDC) of Munipalli village in Nizamabad district were on Wednesday sentenced to five years in jail for enforcing a social boycott of a section of people.
The case was filed in 2021 under the SC/ST Act against 16 members of the VDC for enforcing a social boycott of Thumma Ravindar and people of his community after a dispute arose over a road. On Wednesday, a special court in Nizamabad pronounced the sentence after the case was fast-tracked.
Nizamabad police commissioner Sai Chaitanya warned VDCs against taking the law into their hands and discriminating against people on the basis of caste or religion.
He said strong action would be taken against them.
In a similar case, on June 3 the special court in Nizamabad had convicted 15 people who were members of a VDC of Kolipalka village in Jakranpally mandal for enforcing a social boycott of a Dalit family. The case was filed in April 2020 over a dispute regarding the complainant driving a tractor in front of the house of a VDC member. While eight were sentenced to five years in jail, seven were given a three-year sentence by the special judge for SCs/STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act cases.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
44 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Head tonsured to ‘teach a lesson': Dalit man assaulted by 3 in Faridabad; police deny caste atrocity
The Faridabad police Wednesday arrested a 19-year-old man and apprehended his two minor accomplices for allegedly assaulting and holding a Dalit man hostage at Subhash Colony in the Ballabgarh area. Apart from assaulting the man, identified as Sahil, the accused also shaved his head, eyebrows, and moustache, and allegedly hurled casteist slurs against him on Monday evening, the police said. According to police, the main accused hatched a plan to attack Sahil, who was once his close friend, 'to teach him a lesson' due to the ongoing disputes between the two. Preliminary investigations revealed that the two had known each other for eight years. The police have, however, ruled out any casteist angle in the attack, though they have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The accused allegedly called Sahil, aged between 25-30, to a dispensary near his residence and assaulted him along with his accomplices, a police spokesperson said. After shaving his head, the assailants allegedly stole Rs 3,000 from Sahil's pocket and allegedly hurled casteist abuses at him. He was later abandoned outside his residence, the officer said. 'The fight was over a change in friends' groups, and no caste angle has been found yet. The Atrocities Act has been invoked since he belongs to a Scheduled Caste. He (victim) has not been in a state to give a statement yet, but we are expecting to get one today,' said the spokesperson. The police registered a case based on the complaint of Suraj, Sahil's cousin, a resident of Subhash Colony at the Adarsh Nagar police station. They also dismissed reports that the victim was made to drink urine or hung upside down. The main accused was produced before a court on Wednesday and sent to judicial custody, while the two minors were presented before the Juvenile Justice Board for further action. Inspector Nafe Singh of Adarsh Nagar police station said that the man has sustained minor injuries.
Hans India
2 hours ago
- Hans India
Court orders 14-day remand for Kakani
Nellore: In another latest development, the court on Wednesday ordered 14 days remand to YSRCP leader and former Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy for his alleged involvement in illegal mining of gravel in Sarvepalle constituency and other places. Later, police shifted him from district court to Nellore prison. This is the third case the former minister has been facing punishment as remand prisoner in Nellore central prison. Earlier, he was remanded to Nellore central prison for his alleged role in illegal mining and transportation of Quartz from Rusthum Mines located in Tatiparthi village of Podalakuru mandal, and also facing charges on SC, ST Atrocity cases for scolding and threatening the tribals in Podalakuru may be recalled that when Kakani Reddy was the MLA of Sarvepalle constituency during YSRCP regime in 2021, a case was filed against him in Venkatachalam police station for forging the signature of Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy seeking permission for mining gravel in Sarvepalle constituency. It was reported that gravel worth about Rs 100 crore was dug without permission. Later, SIT registered a case against Kakani after the Ongole MP confirmed of forging his signature. Meanwhile, arguments over the charges framed against Kakani Govardhan Reddy related to SC, ST atrocities case concluded in SC, ST Atrocity court on Wednesday. SC, ST atrocity court Judge Saraswathi adjourned the verdict to June 20. It should be reminded that a case was registered against Kakani for scolding and threatening SC people living in Podalajur mandal, who objected using explosives for digging Quartz that would endanger their lives.
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Delhi riots larger conspiracy case: Judge hearing case brought back after transfer
Arguments on charge in the 2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case will not be heard afresh as the judge, who was hearing the case for a year and a half, was brought back to the Karkardooma Court Wednesday after he was transferred. Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai was hearing arguments on charge, after the conclusion of which the trial of the case will begin, since September last year. Judge Bajpai was transferred to Saket Court at May end, and Additional Sessions Judge Lalit Kumar replaced him to hear arguments on charge afresh. On Wednesday, a new notification published on the Delhi High Court website stated that ASJ Kumar had been transferred to Saket Court, and ASJ Bajpai was brought back to Karkardooma Court, where the larger conspiracy case is pending. Out of the 18 accused arrested in connection with the case, 12 have been in jail for over four years. The accused are Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal, Ishrat Jahan, Faizan Khan, Safoora Zargar, Asif Iqbal Tanha (all six on bail); Tahir Husain, Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, Sharjeel Imam, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohd Saleem Khan, and Athar Khan (all 12 in jail). From October to May 2025, five accused — including former JNU student leader Umar Khalid, former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, Shifa Ur Rehman, and Safoora Zargar — had completed their arguments on charge. The prosecution also completed its arguments during day-to-day hearings. The Delhi Police Special Cell started investigating the alleged conspiracy behind the riots soon after they broke out. The police booked the 18 accused under relevant provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Indian Penal Code (IPC). The police argued that the 2020 Delhi riots were the result of a months-long 'deep-rooted' conspiracy allegedly hatched after the Citizenship Amendment Bill got a nod from the Cabinet in December 2019.
