Maharashtra man killed for celebrating Ambedkar birth anniversary

 Seven people have been arrested in Maharashtra's Nanded district for allegedly killing a 24-year-old Dalit man for celebrating Dr B R Ambedkar's birth anniversary, police said on Saturday.

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The incident took place at Bondhar Haveli village on 2 June 2023, said an official of Nanded Police.

The deceased was identified as Akshay Bhalerao. Bhalerao was passing by on Thursday evening when the accused were celebrating the wedding of a man from a so-called upper caste community and some of them were carrying swords, the police official said.

On seeing Bhalerao and his brother Akash, one of them allegedly said 'these people should be killed for celebrating Bhim Jayanti (Ambedkar's birth anniversary which falls on April 14) in the village,' the official said.  It led to a heated exchange during which Akshay Bhalerao was beaten up and stabbed to death, the official said.

His brother was also beaten up.  Akshay Bhalerao was taken to a nearby hospital but he was declared dead before admission.

A First Information Report was registered under the Indian Penal Code for murder, attempt to murder, rioting and assault as well as under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and seven accused were arrested, the official said.

Further probe was on, he added.

90-yr-old gets lifer for killing 10 Dalits 42 yrs ago

 Firozabad District Court on Thursday convicted a 90-year-old man of murdering 10 Dalits and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

The convict, Ganga Dayal, was also asked to furnish a fine Rs 55,000.

The killings, which happened 42 years ago, had sent shock waves across the country.

'In the event of default on the payment of the fine, the accused will have to undergo additional imprisonment of 13 months,' the court said.

Government advocate Rajeev Upadhyay said, "In 1981, there was violence in Sadupur village in which 10 people were mercilessly killed and two people were injured. A case was registered in connection with the incident. Ten people were identified as accused during the investigation. The case was registered under Sections 302 and 307 of the Indian Penal Code."

Advocate Upadhyay further said that initially, the case went to trial in Mainpuri and later, after the carving out of Firozabad as a separate district, the case was transferred to a court in Firozabad.

"Following the high court order, after the formation of Firozabad district, the case was transferred to Firozabad. Ganga Sahay, who was the only accused alive was sentenced to life imprisonment and awarded a fine of Rs 55,000 by the district court and sentenced to life imprisonment. This decision will send a message to the entire country," the lawyer said.

A relative of one of the victims, Maharaj Singh, said he wasn't born at the time of the incident but his elders told him that four of his family members were killed and six others in his uncle's neighbourhood were also butchered.

"The conviction and sentencing of the only surviving accused came after 42 years. It would have been better if it had come when the elders in my family were alive and 9 other accused persons were also punished," he added.

The case dates back to 1981 when 10 people from the Dalit community were murdered and two more were injured. A case was registered against the 10 accused persons.

Shikohabad police station was in Mainpuri district when this incident took place and it later merged with Firozabad after it was declared a separate district in 1989.

After the investigation, the police filed a charge sheet against 10 accused in court. However, during the trial, nine of the accused persons died.