In Marukumbi village of Karnataka’s Koppal district, people from the Dalit community live on the right side of the main road, and those from upper caste communities live on the other side.
This divide has become starker since a recent judgment in connection with a 2014 caste-related incident in the small village. The verdict has brought a sense of justice to the Dalits in the village, but for residents from both sides, there is also an anxiety about the future.
On October 24, a Koppal district and sessions court sentenced 98 of the 101 accused to life imprisonment in connection with the 2014 case. The case stems from an August 29, 2014 incident in which three houses belonging to Dalit families in the village were set on fire after a person belonging to the Bhovi community (an upper caste among the Scheduled Castes) was allegedly assaulted outside a movie theatre. During the ensuing riot, Dalits were dragged out of their houses and assaulted. Over 30 people were injured in the incident, according to the police.
In July 2015, just days before he was scheduled to give a statement before the court, the key witness in the case, Veeresh, was found dead. Police declared it a suicide.
While delivering the judgment, judge C Chandra Sekar had observed, “This matter appears to be a case of caste violence rather than an ordinary mob violence.”
This story was originally published in indianexpress.com. Read the full story here.