Court sentences 98 accused to life imprisonment in Marakumbi Dalit atrocity case

KOPPAL: The Koppal District and Sessions Court has sentenced 98 accused to life imprisonment and fined them Rs 5,000 each in a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Three other accused were sentenced to five years imprisonment and fined Rs 2,000 each by District Magistrate C Chandrashekhar.

The incident dates back to August 28, 2014, in Marakumbi village of Gangavathi taluk. The court, which had conducted a long trial of 10 years, concluded that all the accused in the chargesheet were guilty on October 21 and reserved the order of punishment. The judge announced the order around 6 pm today.

The case pertains to a 2014 incident in Marakumbi village, Gangavathi taluk, where a clash broke out between Dalits and upper castes over access to a hotel and a barber shop. The clash escalated at a Gangavathi cinema theatre after which upper caste groups entered the Dalit colony in the village and set some huts on fire.

Following the clash, the police had set up camp in the village and started an investigation. On the same night, the police filed a chargesheet stating that the accused entered the Dalits’ hut and set the hut, shops and hotel on fire. Fortunately, there was no loss of life.

The police had filed charges against 117 people, but some had died or been acquitted during the trial. The court found 101 accused guilty, including three from the SC/ST community, who were sentenced under the Atrocity Act.

Family members and relatives of the accused expressed outrage and disappointment over the verdict, with some questioning the sentencing of people who were not present in the village on the day of the incident.