Karnataka's Koppal District and Sessions Judge has delivered a historic verdict in a case of clashes between Dalits and upper castes under the SC/ST Atrocities Act. The court has sentenced 98 accused to life imprisonment. All the convicts have also been fined 5 thousand rupees each. This is the first case in the country where 98 people have been indicted in a single case of caste-based violence.
In August, 2014, caste-based clashes broke out in Marukumbi, Gangavati taluk of Koppal district. According to the prosecution, on August 28, there was a dispute between upper caste and Dalit youth at Shiva Cinema over the issue of movie tickets.
After that there was a huge protest and the huts of the Dalit community were set on fire. According to the prosecution, 117 people were accused of assaulting, abusing members of the Madiga community and setting fire to their houses. 16 died during the trial. The charge against 101 accused was proved in the court.
More cases of punishment in the country at once
- A lower court sentenced 27 accused to life imprisonment in the June 4, 2003, murder of NPC treasurer Ram Avtar Jaggi in Chhattisgarh. In April, 2024, the High Court also upheld the sentence.
- A Hamirpur court in Uttar Pradesh sentenced 17 accused to life imprisonment in the September, 2022 double murder. It was the first case of life imprisonment for 17 accused in one week in UP.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
