Police have failed to protect Dalits in Yadgir district: DSS

District convener of Karnataka Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (Krantikari) Mallikarjun Kranti has said that the Police Department has failed to protect Dalits from attacks and assaults in Yadgir.

He was talking outside the office of the Superintendent of Police here on Wednesday in protest against Police Sub-Inspector of Kembhavi Police Station Sudarshan Reddy and others who assaulted and abused naming the caste of a Dalit pump operator Bassapp Tippanna Chalavadi, a native of Agni village in Hunsagi taluk.

The protesters said that on the behest of contractor and engineers, K. Bhupal, Pramod Reddy and Hanumath Reddy, Mr.. Sudarshan Reddy had called the victim to the police station where he assaulted him for asking two months pending salary. After the incident, Chalavadi consumed pesticide and he was taken to the district hospital in Kalaburagi where he died on March 25, 2021, they said.

A case has been registered against Mr. Sudarshan Reddy, K. Bhupal, Pramod Reddy and Hanumanth Reddy in the Kembhavi Police station. Even after five days, there has been no action against the accused persons, including the Sub-Inspector of Police, Mr. Kranti said.

Mr.. Kranti said that the police were not protecting people from the oppressed community, especially Dalits, in the district. This has led to repeated attacks on Dalits, he added.

The protesters demanded that Mr. Sudarshan Reddy be suspended. They also urged that all the four accused in the case be arrested.

In a memorandum they submitted to Superintendent of Police Rishikesh Sonawane, they have stated that the accused number 1 to 3 had built a tank in 16 acres of land belonging to the victim. Later, all these three and Mr. Sudarshan Reddy assaulted and abused the victim naming his caste. The victim later committed suicide and the Sub-Inspector and the other three were responsible for his death, they said and added that legal action has to be taken against them immediately.

The protesters warned that they would launch agitations outside the office of the Inspector-General of Police, North East Range, Kalaburagi, till their demands are fulfilled.

State convener of the samiti Arjun Bhadre and others were present.