Rajasthan Police files chargesheet in minor Dalit boy’s alleged murder by teacher

Jalore Police has filed a chargesheet against the teacher who allegedly beat up a 9-year-old Dalit boy for drinking water from a pot meant for “upper castes”.

Indra Kumar Meghwal, who was allegedly beaten by his teacher,Chail Singh,died in August this year. The Rajasthan Police have now filed a charge sheet in the case. His family claimed that Meghwal was beaten by his upper-caste teacher at a private school when the teacher spotted the young Dalit child drinking water from a matki (earthen pot) intended for the (upper caste)teacher, and became enraged at the same. The child succumbed to his injuries later.

Chail Singh, the accused teacher, has been charged by the police under the Juvenile Justice Act, the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and Section 302 of the IPC, which deals with murder.

The police have not yet discovered any evidence indicating that the boy was beaten up for consuming water from the matki, as told by the case’s investigating officer, Additional Superintendent of Police Deva Ram Choudhary to the Indian Express. The inquiry into the matki-related issue is still ongoing.

The chargesheet mentions that further investigation is being conducted on certain points of the case under Section 173 (8) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

According to the chargesheet, as reported by the Indian Express, the accused Chail Singh had beaten up and injured deceased Indra Kumar in the school on July 20, on the basis of statements of eyewitnesses, the audio of the conversation between the accused and the father of the deceased in which the accused admits to hurting the deceased, and testimonies of other teachers of the school.

The chargesheet also states that Meghwal’s doctors claimed that the formation of a blood clot had led to his death. The doctors said that a blood clot had formed in an artery that delivers blood to the brain near the neck, which caused an infection in the brain, ultimately leading to Indra Kumar’s death. Additionally, the doctors also suggested that it’s possible that the blood clot formed after the deceased suffered an injury. On the basis of this evidence, Chail Singh has been charged.

According to the Meghwal family’s continuing claim, the young kid was beaten up for drinking water from the earthen pot. The complainant in the case and Meghwal’s uncle, Kishore Kumar, said that they know with surety that Meghwal had been physically assaulted by the teacher for drinking water from the matki, as was reported by the Indian Express. The family further claims that videos of him discussing the incident just before he passed away are also available. If the cause of his death as a result of consuming water from the matki is not mentioned in the final investigation, the deceased’s family will be wronged, says Kumar.

Brief background of the case

According to details available publicly, the 9-year-old Dalit boy was allegedly brutally thrashed by a teacher on July 20, allegedly for touching a pot of water which was apparently only meant for “upper caste”. The boy succumbed to his injuries on August 13 in an Ahmedabad hospital, after being taken to at least six other hospitals in the interim.

It has been alleged by the boy’s father, that when he returned from school, the boy had injuries to his ears and face. Upon being asked about the injuries, the boy told his family that he was beaten up by his teacher. According to the boy’s father, the brutal beating had led to haemorrhage, and the boy’s limbs had stopped working. Singh had also allegedly verbally abused him with castiest slurs.

The accused teacher, Chail Singh was arrested on August 13 after the child’s death and the police have taken statements of his classmates and other students present on that day.

CJP’s complaint to NCSC

Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) had filed a complaint with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) seeking greater protection for the family of the Meghwal. CJP’s complaint also seeks stringent action against the alleged perpetrator.

In the petition, CJP has highlighted the plight of the Dalit community living in India. While giving the detailed account of the offence, CJP has further emphasised on the need for providing further protection under the existing law to the victim’s family to ensure that they upper caste do not further harass the family into withdrawing their complaint.

CJP’s complaint states, “We are aware that an offence has already been registered and are simply urging that further protection under the existing law is also provided to the victim’s family.”The complaint lists provisions under Section 15 A of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 that provide for “protection of victims, their dependents, and witnesses against any kind of intimidation orcoercion or inducement or violence or threats of violence” as well as right of the victim’s family “to be heard at any proceeding under this Act in respect of bail, discharge, release, parole, conviction or sentence of an accused or any connected proceedings or arguments and file written submission on conviction, acquittal or sentencing.”

CJP has urged the Commission to follow the example of the Hathras Rape case, wherein an alleged gang-rape and murder of a 20-year-old woman took place in Hathras in Uttar Pradesh. In the said case, a three-fold protection mechanism had been devised to protect the families of the victim from any kind of pressure. The struggles of many Dalit families who experience atrocities do not end with the crime perpetrated against them. Therefore, keeping in mind the gravity of the situation, CJP has urged the NCSC:

to immediately hold an investigation and inquiry into this matter with respect to the acts committed by the accused under the Indian Penal Code, the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989;

to monitor the investigation undertaken by the Rajasthan Police and ensure that there is a fast-track trial and speedy delivery of justice;

to ensure that the deceased victim’s family receives the necessary relief;

to ensure that data on such monitoring is made public digitally and that progress in this case is also visible and made public electronically and digitally.

to take any other action as you may deem fit.

CJP’s complaint may be read here:

Courtesy : Sabrangindia

Note: This news piece was originally published in sabrangindia.in and used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Rights .