Karnataka   

Caste discrimination claims the life of a woman in Magadi

Bangalore: This incident is an eye-opener to anyone who believes that cases of caste discrimination happen only in the under-developed and distant North Karnataka districts.

In an incident that has belatedly come to light, a woman in Lakkasandra village in Magadi taluk committed suicide allegedly following caste discrimination. Her “crime” was that she fetched water from a tank that the “upper castes” thought was their prerogative to use.

On October 19, 24-year-old Gangamma went to fetch water from a mini tank, constructed by the Government under a small irrigation project, in one of the lanes in which “upper castes” were residing. She was allegedly verbally abused for doing so by a group of people.

Later, six people who claimed to be “elders” of the village and the neighbouring villages, called a meeting and fined her Rs. 101 for the “act of indiscretion”.

She was allegedly warned against informing the police. Humiliation is said to have led Gangamma to suicide by consuming poison the following day.

Her husband, Hanumantiah, a daily wage earner, booked a complaint on October 22. Cases have been booked under Section 306 (abetment of suicide) and Section 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code, read with 3 (10) and (5) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, said Inspector of Magadi Circle, Krishne Gowda.

The accused are still absconding. A special team has been formed to investigate the case under Ramanagar Deputy Commissioner of Police, D. Jayaraj.

Chikkavenkatiah, an activist of Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (Ambedkarvada) of Ramanagar, said that the village has 25 households of which 15 are Dalit families.

He told The Hindu that there are two tanks in the village and Gangamma had gone to fetch water in the one used by “upper castes” because there was no water in the other one.

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Caste discrimination claims the life of a woman in Magadi

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