Taking cognizance of the killing of an 18-year-old Dalit girl and her 70-year-old father at Mirchpur village in Hissar district of Haryana in April, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has set up a committee to enquire into the incident.
The incident reportedly took place on April 21. A mob, reportedly belonging to a dominant community, torched several Dalit households, forcing families to flee. As many as 35 houses were destroyed and 50 ransacked and 25 people injured in the violence.
The committee, headed by NCW member Wansuk Syiem, will enquire into the circumstances leading to the incident and the action taken by the authorities. It will meet the police officers concerned and other officials as it deems proper to ascertain the facts and circumstances and protection provided to Dalit families.
Court notice
Taking a serious view of the forceful eviction of 150 Dalit families from Mirchpur after the incident, the Supreme Court has also issued a stern notice to the Haryana government for its response to a petition highlighting their plight. It has asked the State to come out with a plan for rehabilitation of these families, many of which are camping at a temple here.
