The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has directed the Salem police to invoke provisions of the Goondas Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) against a caste Hindu man who beheaded a 14-year-old Dalit girl near Attur recently.
Based on the recommendation of the NCSC, a compensation of about ₹4 lakh was handed over to her family, after a case was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 against accused K. Dhineshkumar, 27.
“Though no complaint was lodged with us in connection with the case, we took suo motu cognisance of media reports about the incident and directed the District Collector and Superintendent of Police to act on the incident,” said NCSC Vice Chairman L. Murugan.
The accused has been arrested and remanded in judicial custody. “But we realised stronger provisions in the Goondas Act and POCSO Act have to be invoked in the case,” he said. Meanwhile, members of the civil society called for a protest near State Guest House at Chepauk here on Wednesday to seek justice for the victim’s family.
“If a dominant caste man can behead the head of a Dalit girl after demeaning her caste and take her head out of her house, it means there is a strong sense of caste arrogance. When there is so much of support of Me Too movement, we should also protest in support of her case,” added Ms. Semmalar.
According to the FIR, Dhineshkumar was enraged after his sexual advances were spurned by her. So he beheaded her in the presence of her mother.
