A mob of non-dalits armed with sticks and stones had entered the Chamar (a Dalit caste) village attacking the locals and vandalizing their houses over the use of a local temple at Bhimdabar village in the VDC by Dalit community. Eighteen persons, including women, from the Dalit community were injured in the attack. [break]
The victims accused the police of not taking the incident seriously. According to them, the police reached the village two hours after the incident.
Uma Devi Ram, a local, said that the Dalits have heaved a sigh of relief after the so-called higher caste people involved in the attack fled the village fearing arrest.
The Dalit community has been facing drinking water problems after the assailants destroyed six hand pumps in the village. According to the locals, the assaulters thrashed them mercilessly and also looted their belongings.
Meanwhile, the police on Saturday removed a bamboo barricade placed by non-dalits in the fields to prevent the dalits from defecating in their lands. “We don´t have toilets and must go to the fields to defecate,” said Umesh Ram.
The District Security Committee meeting chaired by Chief District Officer Dil Bahadur Ghimire said the assaulters would soon be arrested. The meeting also decided to repair the hand pumps damaged in the attack.
Superintendent of Police in Rautahat Govinda Ram Pariyar said the meeting also decided to deploy 15-member police team to the village to prevent any untoward incident.
Meanwhile, various organizations working for the welfare of Dalits in the district have planned to file cases against the assaulters.
District Chairman of Utpidit Jatiya Samaj Nathuram Pariyar informed that they will file a case against 35 persons, including former VDC chairman Hridaya Narayan Sah, involved in the attack. SP Pariyar informed that the accused will be tried for robbery and attempted murder.
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Dalits relieved as assaulters flee village fearing arrest
