Dalit girl’s death: Activist slams Bikaner police, demands CBI probe
A Dalit rights activist on Thursday demanded a CBI inquiry into the death of a teenage Dalit girl whose body was found in a water tank outside the hostel of her college in Bikaner on March 29.
A Dalit rights activist on Thursday demanded a CBI inquiry into the death of a teenage Dalit girl whose body was found in a water tank outside the hostel of her college in Bikaner on March 29.
At a press conference organised by Centre for Dalit Rights (CDR), lawyer and Dalit rights activist PL Mimroth condemned the Bikaner police for terming the ‘murder’ of 17-year-old Delta Meghwal as ‘suicide’.
“The preliminary report states that no water was found in the victim’s body yet police is bent on terming the case as a suicide. A person cannot commit suicide by immersing herself in a 6 feet tall water tank and closing its lid,” Mimroth said.
“We condemn the attitude of Bikaner police and demand either a CBI or a judicial inquiry in the matter.”
The Rajasthan government has failed to protect the Dalit community as there is an upsurge in violence against the people of lower castes, he added.
The CDR announced the formation of a committee to provide legal assistance to Dalits and monitor probe in atrocity-related cases.
“After the SC/ST Act’s amendment in 2014, civil society and lawyers have the power to monitor police investigation in SC/ST cases. We have formed a committee of lawyers to provide legal assistance to the victims of such cases,” said Mimroth.
“We have realised that mere protest marchs will not bring any change in the scenario. Therefore, we have decided to closely monitor cases.”
The activist also demanded introduction of Land Ceiling Act in a feudal state like Rajasthan in order to ensure equitable distribution of land among all the sections of society.
Read: Crime against Dalits rises in Rajasthan, activists blame police