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Protest march in Almora to seek justice for Dalit man killed in hate crime
Geeta, 22, who married 38-year-old Jagdish on August 21, met district police officers within days of her wedding to plead for protection for her husband. But Jagdish did not get any protection and was killed on September 1
RUDRAPUR: Scores of people in Uttarakhand marched through Almora district on Monday to protest the killing of a Dalit by relatives of her upper caste wife who were against their marriage. The protesters demanded that the four persons arrested for the murder be tried in a fast-track court.
Activists of Dalit rights group Bhim Army and several groups such as Shilpkar Sewa Samiti and Pragatisheel Ekta Manch participated in the march. Jagdish Chandra, 38, was killed on September 1 in Bhikiyasen of Almora district for marrying an upper caste woman Geeta.
“We are demanding the trial of the murder case in the fast track court so that the family of the deceased get the justice at the earliest. Besides, strict action should be taken against the authorities whose negligence led to the murder,” said PC Tiwari, president, Uttarakhand Parivartan Party (UPP).
Chandra was also part of UPP, a local political group.
Geeta, 22, who married Jagdish on August 21, met district police officers within days of her wedding to plead for protection for her husband, complaining that her parents could harm him. But Tiwari said the police kept sitting on her complaints.
Tiwari said, “The state government has shown insensitivity towards the case and the chief minister hasn’t spoken even a single word about the incident.”
After Jagdish was killed, police arrested Geeta’s step-father Joga Singh, step-brother, Govind and mother Bhawana apart from a fourth person, Nandan Singh.
Govind Baudh, convenor of Kumaon, Baudh Army said, “We will fight for the deceased’s family to ensure they get justice. We want stern action against the accused so that such an incident doesn’t happen in the future.”
