The quarrel started in 2014 when some Dalit youths went to watch a film in a theatre.
Raghottam Koppar
KOPPAL: The Principal District and Sessions Court on Thursday awarded life imprisonment to 98 accused in the Marukumbi Dalit atrocity case in Gangavati, Koppal district. Three accused, who belong to the SC and ST communities, got a five-year imprisonment term.
This judgment is among the rare as 98 accused were sentenced to life imprisonment at a time. Many victims’ family members have been waiting for this decision for the past ten years. A total of 101 accused were arrested on Monday, and the judgment was reserved for October 24. The public prosecutor said a case was booked against 117 people, of whom 101 were awarded punishment, while 16 accused are dead.
When the court decision was announced, relatives and family members of the 98 convicts started crying aloud in distress, while the victims’ family members heaved a sigh of relief.
Manjunath K, Ramesh Kolur and other Dalit leaders from Koppal said they were happy that the court had announced life imprisonment for 98 accused in the Marukumbi case. “We have been waiting for this decision for ten years. Many Dalit leaders supported the families after the incident, and the victims’ family members are also happy with the decision,” they said.
The quarrel started in 2014 when some Dalit youths went to watch a film in a theatre. The quarrel continued, and led to clashes when some Dalits were not allowed into barber shops and hotels. In 2014, some people from other communities set ablaze many huts of Dalits in Marukumbi village of Gangavati taluk, in Koppal district. The case became famous and many Dalit leaders took out a padayatra from Koppal district to Bengaluru.
In 2014, hundreds of people entered the Dalit residents’ area in Marukumbi village and assaulted them, a clash erupted and belonging of Dalits were set on fire. The reason for the clash was said to be denial of entry to Dalits in the village’s barber shops and hotels. Police kept a tight vigil in Marukumbi village for three months.
Courtesy : TNIE
Note: This news is originally published in thenewindianexpress.com and was used solely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Rights
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