National Human Rights Commission notice to Pilbhit authorities over atrocities on Dalits

NEW DELHI: National Human Rights Commission today issued a notice to district authorities of Pilibhit district in Uttar Pradesh over allegations of atrocities against Dalits.

According to an official statement released today, the commission has issued notices to the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police, Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh calling for reports within two weeks in this connection.

The notices were issued after NHRC took suo motu cognizance of a media report that three dalit families were forced to leave their village on March 15, 2015 after allegedly attacked by some persons from Gurjar community, who ransacked their houses and beat women and children in Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh.

Four persons, including two women were injured in the attack.

They have also been asked to mention the steps taken for relief and rehabilitation of victims in accordance with the provisions of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995.

Reportedly, the families were attacked on the allegations of elopement of a girl of Gurjar community with a boy from Dalit community on the March 10, 2015. The boy was a daily wage labourer at a factory in Uttarakhand.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the press report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of Dalits.