UP: Dalit held hostage in Agra for labour, Dalit mother and sister attacked with sticks and axes when they protested
Posted on by Dalit Times
In Agra, the goons held Dalit labourer Sumit hostage and forced him to do labour. When Sumit and his mother Reena Devi protested, they were attacked with sticks and axes. Daughter Sunaina was also beaten up using casteist abuses. Reena Devi reached the police station in a bloodied condition, but the police only registered an NCR. The incident has caused fear and anger in the family. Social organisations have put pressure on the administration and demanded justice.
The incident of inhuman atrocities committed by the goons on a Dalit family has shaken the area. What happened to the family of Reena Devi, a resident of the village, raises questions not only on humanity but also on law and order. Reena Devi told that on Saturday morning some goons of the village forcibly took her 18-year-old son Sumit to work in the fields. Sumit was forced to work in the potato field, even though he was not in good health. During the work, his hand got cut by the potato extracting tool, and started bleeding. Sumit expressed his inability to work due to pain and injury, but the goons ignored his condition and forced him to work.
accused of forced labour under bondage
Reena Devi alleged that when Sumit tried to protest, the goons started beating him. Sumit somehow reached his home in a bloody state and while crying informed the family about the whole incident. Seeing the condition of her son, Reena Devi could not hold back her tears. When the mother showed courage to protest against the excesses done to her son, the goons attacked her house.
deadly attack on protest
On Sunday morning, when Reena Devi went to the bullies to complain about the injustice done to her son, they attacked her with sticks and axes. Reena Devi was beaten so brutally that she was covered in blood. Hearing her screams, her daughter Sunaina rushed to the spot, but the bullies attacked her too. Both the women were treated inhumanly while using caste-specific abusive language. Somehow Reena Devi and Sunaina saved their lives and reached the police station with the help of the villagers.
Question on police inaction
Despite reaching the police station in a bloodied condition, Reena Devi faced hurdles in getting justice. The family alleges that the police only registered an NCR against the accused and has not taken any concrete action till now. Reena Devi has been admitted to the Community Health Center Agla Pinhat, where she is undergoing treatment. The family is still hopeful of justice, but the administration’s sluggishness has further increased their troubles.
An atmosphere of fear in Dalit family
After this incident, there is an atmosphere of fear and anger in the entire family. Reena Devi’s husband Dalveer Singh said while crying that what happened to his wife and children is no less than a nightmare. There is such terror of the bullies in the village that no one dares to speak against them. Dalveer appealed to the administration for justice and said, “If action is not taken against the accused in such cases, then the lives of poor and Dalit families will become difficult.”
Cry for justice and hope for justice
Reena Devi and her family have appealed to the district administration and higher officials for help in this matter. They say that if the bullies are not given strict punishment, then such incidents can happen with other Dalit families in the village as well. At the same time, social organizations have condemned this incident and talked about putting pressure on the police administration. Local people are also uniting to get justice for the Dalit family and to get strict punishment for the accused.
Administration under question
This incident has exposed the administration’s inaction. This atrocity on the Dalit family has exposed the flaws of the social and administrative system. Now it remains to be seen what action the administration takes on this incident and whether the victim’s family gets justice or not.
