Caste-based Violence: Family Attacked and Harassed in Barabanki

Lucknow— In a shocking incident, a group of upper caste individuals in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh allegedly physically assaulted a Dalit family after months of harassment. According to a police report, the accused verbally abused a women and used casteist slurs before attacking her family with sticks, leaving several members seriously injured. Despite being admitted to a trauma center in Lucknow, the family had to return to their village due to their poor financial condition. The family said the police officers at the Circle Officer's office allegedly made light of their complaint and were insisting on a compromise. This is not the first time the accused have been accused of harassing Dalit families.

Months of harassment leads to a full-blown attack

According to a police report filed by Suresh Chandra Rawat of Chauhanpurwa, Majre Patna which falls under the police station, the accused, namely Raj Singh, Sachin Singh, Ritik S/O Ram Sagar, Dipu Singh, and Rajkumar Singh, abused the women and used casteist slurs on 02/03/2023. When the family members objected to such behavior, the accused entered the house armed with sticks and attacked the daughters of the complainant, namely Ankita Devi, Kajal, Ashika, and wife Rajrani, and dragged them to the pavement and continued beating. It was only after the intervention of the local villagers that their lives could be saved; the attackers threatened the victims with death while leaving. He added that the harassment by the upper castes has been continuing for six months, and it was on 2nd March, that it culminated in a full-blown attack.

No money for adequate treatment

According to Suresh Chandra Rawat, he had to return to his village in Barabanki with his wife and daughters because of poor financial conditions after they were admitted to the trauma center of KGMU in Lucknow for five days due to serious injuries sustained during the attack by the upper caste men. The family had run out of funds for further treatment, and they had to return home without adequate medical attention.

Statement recorded after 11 days

On March 13, 2023, 11 days after the incident, Suresh Chandra Rawat and his family were called to the office of the Circle Officer of Dewa in Barabanki district to record their statement. However, Rawat has alleged that the police officers present at the CO office made light of their complaint and were insisting on a compromise.

Harassment nothing new for the tormentors

The Mooknayak spoke to Lalmati, a neighbor of Suresh Rawat in the same village, who has also been tormented by the same group of Thakurs. In January of this year, she had filed a case against Raj Singh, Sachin Singh, Ram Sagar Singh, and Rajkumar Singh for urinating at her house and throwing fecal matter into her house. Lalmati says that despite getting the case registered, the accused are defiant and routinely abuse and threaten them. They don’t let her son access the roads and threaten to mow them down. She says that her family does not own land and therefore have to work as laborers, but she won't compromise with the accused as is being insisted by the police.

When The Mooknayak contacted the Circle Officer of the Dewa region, Dr. Beenu Singh, she declined to comment on the issue on the grounds that she has recently joined and is unaware of these cases.