‘Cong’ leader booked for Dalit atrocities

Tribune News service

Amritsar, May 24

Finally, the Amritsar rural police have registered a case against an allegedly Congress leader, Rinku, a resident of Bagga village, in connection with the alleged atrocities on a Dalit family of Kashmir Singh.

The controversy over the issue started when former Cabinet minister and prominent SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia today held a press conference, seeking justice for the family of Kashmir Singh and later stormed into a police-public meeting called by the ADGP (law and order). He had also threatened to launch an agitation today in case the authorities failed to take any action against the accused and the cops continued to shelter them. Kashmir Singh had alleged the accused had tortured him, as he had supported the Akali party in the recent Assembly poll.

Rinku allegedly thrashed Kashmir Singh after tying his hands behind his back. He allegedly made a video of the incident and circulated it on a social site. The incident had occurred on May 15. The police have also charged him under the Prevention of Atrocities Act against Scheduled Castes besides hurting the sentiments of a community.

The National SC Commission has taken cognisance of the complaint filed by BJP leaders in this regard. The BJP leaders had alleged that the Dalit family was beaten up thrice and kept in illegal detention by the police. The commission summoned the ADGP (law and order) and the SSP, Amritsar rural, at Chandigarh today. Dalit leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal have also decided to approach the National Human Rights Commission over the issue.

Majithia will also be meeting the Director General of Police against the alleged atrocities being faced by SAD leaders and workers besides seeking action against the cops who were sheltering the accused. He said lower-rank officials had been heading the police station in the Amritsar rural district against the police norms.

The Mattewal police under the Amritsar rural police has registered a case under Sections 295-A, 341, 323 and 506 of the IPC and Section 3 of the Prevention of Atrocities to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act.