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Dalit woman branded with hot sickle
Prakash Singh http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070025929
A Dalit village woman in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Bihar fighting for justice was branded with a hot sickle in Saharsa district.
Thirty-year-old Neelam Devi had to pay the price for complaining against her neighbours. Neelam first complained to the police after her neighbours broke her arm during a scuffle.
But after the police refused to take note of her complaint, she knocked on the Panchayat's doors that ordered a Rs 5000 compensation.
When Neelam did not get her due, she approached the Panchayat again. Angered by her initiative, the villagers tortured her with a sickle.
The village Sarpanch, a woman herself, has condemned the action of the villagers.
''The panchayat had decreed payment of Rs 5000 to her which was not honoured by the other party. The woman is asking for monetary help from the panchayat for treatment. For this the villagers branded her with hot iron, which is a sad thing,'' said Krishna Devi.
The villagers however hold the police responsible. ''This would not have occurred if the police had taken the earlier incident seriously,'' said Indubhushan Singh, villager.
No arrest has been made so far but police say the guilty will not be spared. ''I've told the DSP to take action soon. All of them will be arrested,'' said Kunwar Singh, SP, Saharsa.
There is tension in the village but the incident shows law and order is still at a low ebb in Bihar despite Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's pledge to contain crime.
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Posted on 2007-09-17
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