UP: Four Dalit families who fled Etawah village return; one held

The man’s family lodged a case with the Saifai police and left the village along with three other families the same day.

Circle Officer, Safai, Nirmal Singh Bisht, said, “We had traced all four Dalit families. They are staying with their relatives in the district. We convinced them of providing adequate security. The families have returned. Heavy police force have been deployed at the village, which is Yadav-dominated.”

According to village head Shiv Raj Singh Yadav, there was tension in the village even before the couple were brought back.

“On May 14, before they were brought back, some people had detained the boy’s father, Ashok. After I intervened, they let him go,” he said. “The families also returned today. Senior police officers were here earlier to talk to the residents and ensure peace.”He added that he was unaware of any attack on the Dalit family.

Safai police station house officer Mahesh Veer Singh described the events leading to May 14 alleged assault: “Around a month ago, the woman, who is 19 years old, had gotten married to a man in Jaswant Nagar area. She returned to stay with her parents in May and in the meantime eloped with the Dalit man in the early hours of May 12. Her family launched a search. There was no police complaint.”

“Her brothers Dharamveer and Satyaveer, police constables posted in Mainpuri and Etah, respectively, managed to trace both of them to Aligarh railway station,” the SHO said. “They then handed over the man to his family. The police intervened on May 18 when Rahul’s family members met SSP, Etawah, and alleged that their neighbours, who belong to Yadav community, had beaten them with sticks and also taken away their belongings, including household items and animals on May 16. They told the SSP that they feared further attacks.”

Following SSP’s direction, an FIR was lodged against five named and 10-11 unidentified persons on various charges, including dacoity and SC/ST Act on a complaint from Rahul’s grandfather Siya Ram, informed Mahesh Veer.

SSP Ashok Kumar Tripathi, said, “Among those named in the case, no one is directly related to the girl, but they all belong to the same village. Police have detained some suspects and action would be taken against them on the basis of evidence.”