The inaction of the police in rendering justice to those who faced harassment from upper castes came in for sharp criticism at the ninth annual conference of the Dalit Sthree Sakthi (DSS) organised here on Friday.
Several speakers said that police were not registering cases against the people involved in attacks on SC and STs in a majority of the incidents. The policemen were also shielding the accused involved in rape cases without conducting proper investigation. Counter cases were booked against the victim’s family members for requesting the police to expedite the investigation, they explained.
“We brought to the notice of senior police officials about the inordinate delay in investigating the pending cases but nothing concrete has been done till date.
The station house officers (SHOs) in several districts, including Krishna region were not taking necessary steps in completing the inquiry even after receiving instructions from the higher authorities,” said DSS National Programme Coordinator G.D.V. Prakash.
Mob attacks
He said a dalit woman ended her life in East Godavari district when the village elders levelled false theft allegations against her and tortured. Another group attacked organisers of a Ganesh pandal in the same district for failing to play a leading actor’s songs during the procession organised to immerse the idol. In Muddunepally in Krishna district, a group of SC, STs were attacked by tying them to a statue for supporting the YSR Congress party during the elections.
“We request the Social Welfare Department to seriously look into these issues and render justice to the victims,” he said. Social Welfare Department Deputy Director Shoba Rani, DSS State Convenor Jhansi Geddam also spoke.
‘Police are not registering cases against people involved in attacks on SC and STs in a majority of incidents’
