By Deepak Lavania / TNN
AGRA: A special SC/ST court in Mathura has sentenced 15 men from an upper caste community to life imprisonment after over two decades, in one of the worst instances of caste violence in the district. The court also imposed a penalty of Rs 73,000 on each convict.
The case dates back to January 23, 2001, when a group of men in Datiya village of Mathura had opened fire on Dalit villagers and burnt down their houses following a dispute over gram panchayat land.
A six-month-old child was burnt alive, a man hit by a bullet and several others from the Dalit community injured.
Special public prosecutor Suresh Prasad Sharma said that on the basis of a complaint filed by one of the victims, an FIR was registered at Narholi (now Highway) police station. “Sixteen men were booked and following state orders, the case was taken up by the crime investigation department. Names of eight others found involved in violence were later added to the FIR,” Sharma said.
On Wednesday, the court of additional district judge (SC/ST) convicted 15 of the men under IPC sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house) and 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), and section 3(2)V of the SC/ST Act, he said.
This story was originally published in timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Read the full story here .