101 accused held guilty in Dalit atrocity case in Koppal village, sentencing on October 24

KOPPAL: Ten years after a clash had broken out between upper caste groups and Dalits at Marakumbi village in Gangavathi taluk, the district and sessions court here has held 101 persons guilty under the SC/ST (Prevention of) Atrocities Act. The court will pronounce the quantum of punishment on October 24.

One of the houses that was set on fire in 2014.

After the court pronounced its judgment, 100 of the accused who were present were sent to judicial custody by the police. During the trial, the charges were proved against 101 of the 117 accused. Some of them had passed away during the pendency of the trial.

Marakumbi village in the present day.

On August 28, 2014, Manjunath, a resident of the village, along with some others, had gone to Power Cinema in Gangavathi to watch a movie when he was allegedly assaulted. Manjunath told the villagers later that Dalits of the village had attacked him.

The Dalit colony in the village.

Following this, upper caste groups had destroyed a hotel and a barber shop and even set fire to four huts belonging to Dalits. Fortunately, there was no loss of life. After the violence, Bheemesh, a resident of the village had lodged a complaint with the Gangavathi Rural police station. Cases were also registered against some Dalits.

Public Prosecutor Aparna briefing media persons regarding the case.

Public Prosecutor Aparna said this was one of the rare instances where such a large number of people had been held guilty for untouchability. “It is a historic case. Several people had been injured in the incident. Some of the eyewitnesses had even turned hostile during the trial. Such type of crimes should reduce and people should live in harmony and this case should be an example”, she added.

Basavaraju, a Dalit resident of the village.

Basavaraju, a resident of the village, said, “Since two years after the incident, we have been living in harmony. But all have to honour the court judgment. Some innocents have also had to face trouble. Such incidents should not occur anywhere and should be an example”.