Widow's Stand Against Land Encroachment Leads to Dalit Leader's Arrest, Sparks Outrage in Amethi

Amethi- In a troubling incident unfolding in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi district, the actions of the local administration and police have been called into question. A widow's stand against the alleged encroachment of her land has led to the arrest of a Dalit leader on fabricated charges, sparking outrage and highlighting systemic issues within the region.

The trouble began when the leased land of a widowed woman was encroached upon by certain individuals in the Shivratanganj area. Upon learning of this encroachment, a Dalit leader arrived at the scene. While he was attempting to record the unlawful act of the Tehsildar and the Lekhpal, he claims that both officials forcibly confiscated his mobile phone and engaged in a physical altercation with him. Despite lodging a complaint at the police station, the Dalit leader found himself at the receiving end of false allegations. When he attempted to escalate the matter to the SP office, he was arrested en route, and subsequently, the police filed a case against him.

Rajendra Bharti, the dalit leader and a Panchayat member, provided insights into the incident, stating, "I received information that Naib Tehsildar Ashok Kumar and Accountant Surendra Kumar, through bribery, transferred the leased land of Premavati Pasi, a widow from Kharagpur village, to Ramzan and Sakrul Nisha. Despite a stay order issued by the Civil Judge Rae Bareli, they proceeded to measure and take possession of the land. Upon reaching the spot, we protested against this action, which was in violation of the court order."

Bharti recounted, "Upon learning of the situation, I intervened, and both officers reacted aggressively, dismissing the court order as false. They resorted to caste-based insults directed at me. When I attempted to record the incident, my mobile phone was seized and destroyed. The Tehsildar's home guard physically assaulted me, resulting in the fracture of two of my fingers. Despite filing a complaint at the police station, my case was not registered, nor was I provided with a medical examination."

Expressing his grievances against the police, the Dalit leader alleged, "SHO Shivratanganj Tanujpal Singh harbors animosity towards my work in the area. This rivalry led to false charges being leveled against me. When I attempted to file a complaint at the SP office, I was arrested on the way, and the police engaged in a physical altercation with me. I have video evidence of this incident, yet I was unjustly detained."

It has been reported that the police purportedly arrested the Dalit leader on February 17, with a press note issued in connection to the arrest. The press note stated, "On 17-02-2024, during routine area checks and inspections by Shatrohan Lal Verma police station Shivratan Ganj, the wanted accused, Rajendra Bharti, was arrested." However, upon being presented before the magistrate, the Dalit leader was granted bail, and the magistrate reprimanded the police for their handling of the situation.

Also Read-