Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh: The deeply entrenched caste discrimination prevalent in parts of India has claimed yet another life. Neeraj Valmiki, a 48-year-old sanitation worker at Bareilly District Hospital, was found dead in his vacant home in Kailashpuram Colony, Delapir, on the night of October 25. The father of two had reportedly been struggling against relentless caste-based harassment by a powerful neighbor and his family, ultimately driving him to take his own life.

Valmiki's death, under disturbing circumstances, has sparked outrage in his community, as his family reveals that he had long endured social humiliation, coercive threats, and a lack of institutional support that intensified his distress.

The Struggle for Dignity

Originally from Jatavpura in the Premnagar area, Neeraj Valmiki was a Dalit, belonging to the Valmiki community, a caste historically designated for menial work. Three years ago, he had managed to purchase a modest home in Kailashpuram from Rajveer Verma and Kiran Verma for 22 Lakh Rupees.

According to his wife, Neetu, this achievement became a source of envy and animosity for their neighbour Ram Bharose and his two sons, Harish and Shyam, who allegedly harassed Valmiki and attempted to intimidate him into selling the property.

Neetu recounted how Ram Bharose and his family had harassed Neeraj consistently, questioning his right to live in the area and making casteist remarks, often urging him to vacate the property. "They would insult him, hurling slurs, and repeatedly pressuring him to sell the house," she explained, adding that the neighbours seemed emboldened by the fact that Neeraj, as a member of a lower caste, had fewer societal protections.

Last plea for justice

The circumstances that led to Neeraj’s suicide began unfolding on the day of his death. Hoping to counteract the financial strain of owning the property, he decided to rent it out. On Friday, he headed to Kailashpuram with an ASHA worker to meet a potential tenant, unaware of the dark turn the day would take. Neeraj and his companion were accosted on the way by Ram Bharose and his sons, who began hurling caste-based insults and threats. According to Neetu, this was the breaking point for her husband, who felt humiliated and helpless in the face of continued abuse.

Returning to his vacant home in Kailashpuram, Neeraj recorded two video messages. In these, he detailed the trauma and sense of betrayal he felt over being persecuted for his caste and his inability to secure help despite approaching authorities multiple times. His wife later described these videos as Neeraj’s "last plea for justice."

Later that night, when Neeraj failed to return home, his family went to look for him. They arrived at the empty house only to find his lifeless body, hanging in one of the rooms. Overcome with grief and anger, his family quickly informed the authorities, prompting an immediate response from the police, who sent his body for post-mortem examination.

The family’s anguish escalated when Neeraj’s wife, Neetu, discovered the videos he had recorded before his death. These recordings, filled with emotional appeals and detailing the harassment he faced, were shared with the police as evidence.

Following this, Neetu lodged a formal complaint under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, accusing Ram Bharose, his sons Harish and Shyam, and the original property seller Rajveer Verma of abetment to suicide.

SP City, Manush Parik, stated that two days after Neeraj’s suicide, his wife provided video evidence accusing the neighbors of caste-based insults, barring them from staying in their home, and alleging police inaction. Cases were registered against four individuals leading to the immediate arrest of Ram Bharose, Shyam, and Rajveer, while Harish remains at large. The police records and grievance redressal system, however, show no complaint from Neeraj within the last six months.

The swift arrests, triggered by public and media attention, offer little consolation to Neetu, who says that her husband’s life could have been spared had the authorities taken his complaints seriously from the beginning. "If only they had acted on his pleas for help, he would still be with us today," she lamented.

A Long History of Institutional Neglect

Neeraj Valmiki’s death has laid bare the harsh realities faced by many Dalits across India. As details emerged, it became clear that Neeraj’s grievances were not isolated. For the past two years, he had made repeated complaints at the Izzatnagar police station about the harassment and pressure to sell his home. According to his family, each visit yielded empty assurances but no tangible action, leaving Neeraj vulnerable to ongoing abuse.

Despite Neeraj’s pleas for protection, the police records, as cited by SP City Manush Parik, do not indicate any formal complaint from him within the last six months. This gap has raised serious questions about the efficacy and responsiveness of local law enforcement in handling caste-related grievances.

The lack of intervention from authorities seems to have further emboldened the perpetrators, as seen in their brazen actions on the day of Neeraj’s death. The initial inaction and oversight by the police have now sparked public outrage, with local leaders and community members demanding accountability from the police department.

Activists and community leaders in Bareilly are now rallying for a more robust implementation of the SC/ST Act, demanding that law enforcement agencies adopt stricter measures to address caste-based discrimination.

The local Valmiki community has vowed to continue advocating for justice in Neeraj’s name, calling for legislative reforms to safeguard marginalized communities against such unchecked harassment and prejudice. A delegation of Bhim Army visited the deceased's home on Tuesday and consoled the aggrieved family members.