New Delhi, 2 September 2005
The NHRC has taken suo-motu cognizance based on media reports of the torching of a number of houses belonging to Dalits by a mob in Gohana in Sonepat District of Haryana on the night of 27 August 2005. The Commission observed that if the contents of the news reports are true, it raises serious issues of human rights of Dalits. It directed that the news reports be sent to the Chief Secretary, Haryana and District Magistrate, Sonepat for their comments within four weeks.
The media had reported on 1 September 2005 that a mob belonging to the upper casts, most of them Jats, burnt several houses of Dalits situated in Balmiki Colony, near Baroda Chowk in a violent backlash to the murder of a Gharwal village youth Baljeet Siwach on Saturday night in Gohana, Sonepat. It was reported that at least 15 houses were gutted in the fire and 28 others were reportedly partially burnt. It took several hours for fire tenders to extinguish the fire due to narrow lanes, it was stated. While the fire was put out in most houses by the evening, however flames were seen emerging from some houses even later in the day. Officials of the administration claimed that the situation was tense but under control.
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