A fact finding team that probed the recent incident of looting and arson on Kalbeliyas in Udaipur has demanded more security and rehabilitation of the community, particularly in Baghdara village from where the incident was reported.
It has even suggested that the victims should be provided with weapons for self-defence.
The team said in accordance with Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes Act rule 12 (4) each victim should be paid Rs 1.20 lakh without any delay and also three month rations for the families, the five- member fact-finding team of the Centre for Dalit Rights has said in its report.
The police should also ensure fair investigation, and improve its intelligence network to take preventive action.
Tension between the Dangi and Kalbeliya communities (both historically hostile to each other) started when a woman of the Dangi community was reportedly gangraped by an auto-rickshaw driver and his companion of the Kalbeliya community on June 23 while she was on way to a temple.
While the two accused Hiralal Kalbeliya and his cousin Vijay Hiralal, were arrested, the Dangi community reportedly decided to avenge the attack by resorting to looting and arson of Kalbeliya Colony in the village on June 28.
The violent crowd looted, torched and destroyed the houses of the Kalbailyeas resulting in huge damage to their property and also misbehaved with women in the Colony.
``For the police and Fire Brigade to arrive at the crime scene and clear the blocked passage of Jhamarkotda road, ‘lathi charge’ had to be enforced.
However by the time the police arrived on the crime scene, the houses of the nine affected families were already destroyed. This incident, incurred damage of an estimated 1.5 million rupees, ‘’ according to the fact-finding report.
The local police have registered two complaints in Pratap Nagar and Hiran Magri Police Stations under various sections including the SC/ST (PoA) Act against more than 200 accused.
