http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/oct13/dta.htm
GULBARGA Oct 12 (DHNS)

The Karnataka Dalit Sangarsh Samiti (KDSS) today condemned the Neelur incident and demanded the arrest of all the accused as well as adequate compensation for the victims.

It may be recalled that on Monday, six persons were seriously injured in a clash reportedly between caste Hindus and Dalits at Neelur village coming under the Revoor police station limits in Afzalpur taluk. The six persons injured, said to be Dalits, had been identified as Krishnappa, Siddarama, Ambedkar, Ravi, Ambarai and Dattu. At present they are being treated at the District Government Hospital here.

It has been reported that tension had prevailed in the village since the last few days as the Dalits were allegedly debarred from going near a Hanuman temple in the village and they were being boycotted by the caste Hindus.

Later, a compromise was arrived at between the two groups. But on Monday, when some Dalits were reportedly drinking tea at a local stall, a group came there and allegedly assaulted the Dalits with lethal weapons. In the process, six of the Dalits were seriously injured.

The police have named 11 persons as accused and have arrested five of them.

Speaking to the press here today, KDSS Regional Convenor S R Kollur claimed that around 50 persons from the village were responsible for the attack and demanded the government to arrest all the 50 persons.

Stating that the Neelur attack was yet another atrocity committed on Dalits, he demanded the police to book cases under the Atrocities Act and not otherwise.

He said the Dalits in Neelur village were leading a miserable life as they were allegedly not even allowed to have a haircut in the village. Claiming that the attack in Neelur village was a caste conflict, he said: ''The Dalits in the village were socially boycotted by the caste Hindus.``

Calling for the alleged social boycott of the Dalits be lifted, Mr Kollur said the government should set up flour mills and other facilities for the Dalits seperately in the village.

Stating that attrocities on the Dalits had increased in the State ever since the S M Krishna government came to power, Mr Kollur demanded adequate protection for the Dalits in the State.

He said Home Minister Mallikarjun Kharge had earlier stated that the respective deputy commissioners and the superintendents of police would be held responsible for such acts. ''The KDSS demands the transfer of Gulbarga deputy commissioner and the additional superintendent of police,`` he added.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has also condemned the attack on Dalits. In a statement here today, BSP District President Jai Bheem stated that only 11 persons had been charged as accused. Since there were many more who had attacked the Dalits, all such persons should be arrested, he said.