Caste Oppression, Peasants

Bihar: Landlords Torture Dalit and MBC Youth

Rohtas district in Bihar has witnessed a heinous torture of one MBC and a Dalit youth by landlords. In the village Nauvan under Dinara police station dominated by Kurmi landlords and JD(U) MLAs are elected from this area i.e. Dinara and Kargahar in which landlords of this community dominate. The area has also been notorious for atrocities on landless poor peasants and massacres e.g. Vishrampur and Akodi Gola have taken place in this area in which landlords of this community and their political mentors had been the perpetrators.

The two rural labourers, namely Suresh Chauhan belonging to Nonia caste, a most backward caste, and Vijay Sharma belonging to Lauhar caste, a caste included among SCs by the State Govt. worked as mason and labourer with a landlord, Patali Chaudhary. When on January 29 these two asked for the money for their labour, Patali Chaudhary and his goondas accused them of stealing battery of his tractor. They were and confined and undressed made completely naked and badly beaten with rods. Hot iron rods were thrust into their private parts causing serious injuries. Their ordeal continued for 6-7 hours in Kurmi Tola. When some persons belonging to Nonia community informed Incharge of Dinara police station of this heinous crime, he did not even bother to go to the spot, enquired from village Mukhia, Ramakant Sah. Mukhia denied the incident and PS incharge rebuked those who had informed him of the atrocity.

Nearly at 4 PM, feudal goons threw the badly injured Suresh and Vijay in a gali. People took them to police station in a tractor and a video record of this atrocity was shown to the police station incharge. Badly injured Suresh has been admitted to BHU, Benares. His has suffered serious injuries due to iron rod being thrust into his anus. Vijay’s left leg has been broken and his body bears marks of hot iron rods.

Video of the incident shows the two naked youth being mercilessly beaten.