Killing of five dalits at Jhajjar, Haryana



Killing of five dalits at Jhajjar, Haryana
New Delhi, 19 November 2003
Following the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission in the case of five dalits who had been lynched by a mob at Jhajjar, the Government of Haryana has paid a compensation of five lakh rupees to each of the families of deceased persons and also provided employment to one dependent from each of these families. In addition, the punishment of stoppage of two increments permanently on 11 police personnel has been imposed and disciplinary enquiry in respect of five other police officials has been initiated and is progressing.
At a recent meeting, the Commission has asked the Government of Haryana to indicate the result of the disciplinary enquiry against five officials.
The Commission took suo-motu cognizance of a newspaper report entitled "five dalits lynched in Haryana" published in a national daily on 17 October 2002. The report stated that five dalits, all in their twenties, were beaten to death on 15 October 2002 in Jhajjar District, Haryana and that two of them had been torched. The victims were reported to have been dragged by a mob out of a police post where they had taken refuge and lynched in the presence of the City Magistrate, the Deputy Superintendent of Police of Jhajjar and Bhadurgarh, the Block Development Officer and at least 50 policemen.
Upon notice being issued to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Haryana, a report dated 23 October 2002 was received from the Director General of Police, Haryana. It stated that, on 15 October 2002, five persons named Virender, Tota Ram, Raju, Daya Chand and Kailash were going to Gurgaon carrying animal hides and a cow in a vehicle. They stopped near Dulina and started removing the skin of the cow on the roadside. About 40-50 persons who had gathered there, however thinking that the cow was being slaughtered by the five persons, gave them a severe beating. The five persons were taken to the Police Post Dulina and a case was registered. In the meantime, the mob, which had grown in size to about 400-500, became extremely violent and threw brickbats and stones at the police personnel who were present, injuring many of them. The mob, in its frenzy, also lynched the five persons who had been seen with the cow. The report added that a case had been registered at the Jhajjar Police Station in this regard and that a special investigation team had been constituted for to conduct the investigation. Further, the Government of Haryana appointed Shri R.R. Bansal, IAS, Commissioner, Rohtak to conduct an inquiry into the whole incident. The Haryana Government had also announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs.1.00 lakh to each of the families of the deceased persons.
Subsequently, the Commission sought and obtained the report of the Commissioner, Rohtak. That report pointed out the failure of the concerned public servants in dealing with the situation and preventing the killings. The Commission thereafter sought a report from the Government of Haryana about the follow-up action taken by it on the findings recorded by Commissioner, Rohtak.
Accordingly, the Government of Haryana reported to the Commission that the State Government had decided to pay a sum of Rs. 5 lakhs to the families of each of the deceased, initiate disciplinary proceedings for major penalty against the erring officials in the Jhajjar District and provide employment to one dependent of each of the five deceased who had been lynched to death. The Commission monitored the progress in respect of each of these actions.
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