Dalit Laborer in UP Harassed for Demanding Thirty Thousand Rupees in Outstanding Wages

Amethi- In a disturbing sequence of events, two cases of Dalit harassment have emerged from the Mohanganj police station area in Amethi district, Uttar Pradesh. The incidents shed light on the persistent challenges faced by Dalit individuals, highlighting issues of economic exploitation and caste-based violence.

The first case revolves around Sunil Kumar Harijan, a Dalit youth residing in the Mattepur village of Mohanganj. Sunil, who specialises in iron work, had been employed by one person named Azhar since 2020. Azhar, operating as a contractor in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, enlisted Sunil's services to erect tin sheds in a warehouse. Sunil was compensated with a daily wage of Rs 500 for this task.

Upon returning home before Holi, Sunil confronted Azhar regarding outstanding wages amounting to Rs thirty thousand for two months of work. However, Azhar refused to release the payment, alleging dissatisfaction with Sunil's workmanship.

When Sunil insisted and threatened to report the matter to the authorities, Azhar responded with caste-based abuses and death threats, creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.

Subsequently, Sunil filed a complaint with the police, prompting them to register a case under IPC sections 504, 506, 507, and the SC ST Act. The authorities have initiated an investigation into the matter.

In a separate incident within the same jurisdiction, Dharmendra Pasi, another Dalit individual from Gahar Mauza Pakargaon, faced brutal violence during the celebration of Holi. Dharmendra recounted being attacked by several village residents, including Kisan Yadav, Akhilesh Dixit, Rajan Yadav, Shashank Yadav, and Aditya Tiwari, for participating in the festivities. The assailants subjected Dharmendra to caste-based slurs and inflicted severe injuries, leaving him with a broken head and internal wounds.

Luckily, Dharmendra's ordeal came to an end when Ram Prasad Pasi son of Babu, intervened and rescued him from further harm.

Subsequently, Dharmendra lodged a complaint with the police, leading to the registration of a case under IPC sections 147, 323, 504, 506, and relevant sections of the SC-ST Act.