Visakhapatnam, May 16: Dalits of Maredupudi village in Anakapalle mandal sought the intervention of the National Commission for SCs and STs to initiate action against upper caste people who had allegedly beaten up some of the Scheduled Castes on April 1 this year.

In a memorandum submitted to the Commission Chairman Dilip Singh Bhuria during his visit here on Wednesday, the Maredupudi Mala Victims Hunger Strike Organising Committee asked the Commission to issue suitable directions to the Collector and district SP in this regard.

The memorandum stated that the village sarpanch was among the upper caste horde which had raided and ransacked the Dalit colony and beaten up several residents.

It may be recalled that the Dalits of Maredupudi were staging a relay hunger strike camp since April 5 at the MRO office in Anakapalle seeking action against the attackers. The Committee alleged that the police personnel were being partisan in the whole issue and were blatantly siding with the perpetrators of the crime.

When several Dalit victims sought to lodge a complaint with the police about the attack, the sub-inspector had refused to register a first information report.

Moreover, the police later registered a case of clash between two groups in which several Dalits, who were actually victims were mentioned as offenders, the committee alleged.

Dalits have resorted to a relay fast as several representations to the Collector and officials failed to evoke positive response, Committee said. The Committee also stated that several atrocities against the Dalits were being perpetuated by the upper castes, but no action was being taken so far.

Meanwhile, Dalit Sena State president Kanchana Krishna has warned the officials of serious consequences if justice was not done to the Dalits of Varada village in K Kotapadu mandal. A sustained agitation will be undertaken, she said.