A Dalit couple from Guna district, Madhya Pradesh attempted to commit suicide after revenue department officials bulldozed their crops during an anti-encroachment drive. Other family members along with their children were also abused and assaulted by the police.
Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan has removed the collector and Superintendent of Police (SP) after he came across the purported video of the incident. He had also ordered a high-level probe into the matter.
As per the sources, 20 bighas land had been allotted by the Madhya Pradesh government for the construction of Model Science College two years back. But the Dalit family has encroached the land and started farming on the land.
On Tuesday, revenue department officials along with police went to the site in order to vacate it and build a boundary wall.
The couple, Ram Kumar Ahirwar and Savitri resisted vacating the place and attempted to commit suicide by consuming a pesticide after seeing that a JCB is crushing the whole crop they had sowed. The police then beaten them, assaulted, and dragged inappropriately towards the ambulance. Their kin when tried to save them were also assaulted by the on-duty cops and the children were also abused. The incident invites huge outrage over various social media platforms after the video went viral.
“We don’t know whose land it is, we’ve been farming on it for a long time. If our standing crop is destroyed, we don’t have any other option but to kill selves. We have a debt burden of Rs 3 lakh on our heads – who will pay it, the government, or anybody else,” said Savitri Bai before the incident.
The couple is now stable as communicated by the hospital authorities.
Following the complaint of revenue official, FIR has been registered against seven people including Ramkumar, Savitri, Ramkumar’s younger brother Shishupal and others for deterring the official from doing his duty.
The complaint is lodged under Section 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), and Section 141 (Unlawful assembly) of Indian Penal Code.
A separate complaint has also been registered against the couple for an attempt to commit suicide under Section 309 of IPC.
The administration told that the land is illegally grabbed by land mafia Gabbu Pardi. The Dalit family had deposited Rs 3 lakh with the Gabbu Pardi to take possession of the land.
