Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar Adhyayana Kendra
No.8, Arco Tower (Near MTR) Lalbagh, Bangalore-560 004

M E M O R A N D U M

On receipt of information about the murder of a Dalith on 4.9.1999 in Bhuvaneshvari Nagar, Jnanaaabharathi Bangalore Rural District we visited the place of occurrence on 9.9.1999 and met the widow of the deceased Ramappa and his other relatives.

2 We were told that there was a dispute between the deceased Ramappa and the accused Raju over some financial matters. On 9.2.1999 Raju and his relatives went to the house of Ramappa and assaulted him and attacked his older sister Padma with a knife inflicting bleeding injuries. While leaving the place Raju is reported to have said that he would kill Ramappa within a month or else his name would not Raju.

3 Smt.Padma had given a written complaint to the Bidadi Police stating the above facts and the police lodged an FIR in Crime No.49/99, but omitted to book the case under Section 506B of Indian Penal Code which dealt with Criminal Intimidation and threat to cause death. The police wanted to help the accused. When we contacted Ashok Kumar the Circle Inspector and brought this point to his notice his reply was evasive.

4 On 4.9.1999 Ramappa was brutally murdered in public view. He was hit on his head and when he fell down the accused hit his head with a big stone. Three accused persons surrendered and other three named in the FIR are still at large. It is said that during nights they used to visit the area and threaten the residents stating that if any one gave evidence against the accused they would have the same fate of Ramappa.The police has failed to apprehend the remaining three accused. They are reported to be roaming about stating that they wanted to kill some more persons before they surrender to police.

5 There were a number of cases of atrocities on Daliths in areas under the jurisdiction of Bidadi police station. This brutal murder would not have taken place if the police took effective steps in those cases. Ashok Kumar was the Sub-inspector of Bidadi police station. He has now come as a Circle Inspector of Police to the same Police Station. He was following a peculiar modus Operandi. Whenever Daliths filed a Police complaint he used to call the accused persons and get a complaint against the complainants and arrest the complainants against the complainants.

6(a) Lakshmamma was organising women under the Dalith Sangarsha Samiti; She used to take complaints of women to the Police Station.Ashok Kumar used to book counter complaints against them. On 13.8.95 late in the evening a lorry load of goondas went to her residence, entered her house, ransacked whatever they could find assaulted Laksshmamma and those in the house and then she became unconscious threw her into the ditch. It happened when Ashok Kumar was the sub-Inspector.

(b) About 510 house sites were formed in Government land and distributed to houseless villagers. The Panchayat Chairman Narayanappa on the basis of bogus documents started claiming the land and started destroying the layout and removing the stones. The allottees obstructed to it. Ashok Kumar removed the allottees from their sites and helped Narayanappa. © M.C.Kailas is an active Member of the Dalith Sangarsha Samiti a registered organisation working for the upliftment of daliths. On 4-7-1998 seven goondas under the leadership of Narayanappa, panchayat Chairman entered his house in the night ransacked his house assaulted him and attempted to kill him. Though the above acts were committed in the presence and direction of Narayanappa Police refused to make him also an accused in the case.

(d) V.Nanjappa is an active member in the Dalith Sangarsha Samithi. He has been helping the Scheduled Castes and Tribes in filing cases for the restoration of their lands illegally purchased by others. An attempt was made on his life and he went to the Bidadi Police Station with a complaint, since the SHO refused to receive it he met the Superintendent of Police. 7. Alarmed by the above incidents and many other happenings the Dalith Sangarsha Samithi started an agitation against the local police demanding action against Ashok Kumar Circle Inspector and Sub-Inspector and Asst.Sub-Inspector of Police, Bidadi station one day Dharana was held on 5-1-1999 before the Police Station and more than one thousand people participated. But unfortunately this agitation did not produce desired results. The authorities took no action and the local Police became vindictive and it appears to have lead for the premeditated murder on 4.9.1999. The part played by Ashok Kumar in this horrifying murder required to be investigated, particularly considering the fact that the deceased was an active member of Dalith Sangarsha samithi.

8. There is something peculiar with regard to the Bidadi Police Station and its jurisdiction. The nearest police station to scene of occurrence is Jnana Bharathi Police Station, which is 1.5 KMs away. But the Jurisdictional Police Station is at Bidadi about 23 KMs away. The office of the Circle Inspector of Police is located at Hyjur about 10 KMs further away from Bidadi. Dalith Shangarsha Samithi had made several representations to bring the area under the Jurisdiction of Jnana Bharathi Police Station; they had met the higher police officers, the Home Minister etc., in this regard. But nothing happened. There appears to be some unknown hands behind it. The area has large acres of lands with disputed titles and these lands have become costly and precocious.

9. There is, therefore, reason to believe that the local police are acting hand in gloves with the land Mafia and is attempting to silence the voice of Daliths against it.

10. It is submitted that Ashok Kumar has got the three accused released for recovery of weapon used in the murder and obtained a statement from the accused stating that the mother and members of the family of the deceased had asked the accused to murder ramappa and on this ground arrested the mother of the deceased and other members of the family and badly assaulted them from the police lockup on 15.9.1999. Though they received grievous injuries they were not given proper medical treatment from a medical officer. At the time of assault Ashok Kumar is stated to have said how dare they were to complain against him to the higher police officers. On enquiry it was found that they had not met any higher police official or complained to them against Ashok Kumar. Dalith Sangarsha Samithi and Bahujan Samaj Party had met the Higher Police officials. So this was an act of mindless vengeance by Ashok Kumar.

We, therefore, pray that your Excellency, may be pleased to cause suitable action to be taken:

1) for handing over of the investigation of the murder case booked in Crime No.260 of 1999 by Bidadi Police to Cops of Detectives;

2) for keeping the respective police officials under suspension and their part in the occurrence of murder including failure to include section 506-B of IPC in Crime No.49 of 1999 thoroughly investigated;

3) for bringing the Bhuvaneshwar Nagar and surrounding areas under the jurisdiction of Jnanabharathi police station;

4) for canceling all the counter complaints booked by Bidadi police against Daliths;

5) for booking criminal case against Ashok Kumar Circle Inspector under relevant provisions of Indian Penal Code for assaulting the mother and other members of deceased Ramappa in police lock up and 6) For providing adequate police bandobust to protect the life and property of Daliths in the Area.

(O.SREEDHARAN)
PRESIDENT