FIR registered against six in U.P.
An FIR was registered against six people, including two village heads, for allegedly denying drinking water to a woman Dalit officer here.
A Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer was allegedly denied drinking water because of her Dalit identity in Ambawa Poorab village in Manjhanpur block, around 167 kilometres away from the State capital Lucknow, on July 31.
An FIR under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was registered against head of Ambawa Poorab village Shiv Sampat, the husband of Bhaila Makdoompur village head Pankaj Yadav, Saibasa village head Ansar Ali, district panchyat member Jhallar Tiwari, District Panchayati Raj Officer (DPRO) Ravidutt Mishra and Rajesh Singh at Manjhanpur police station, SP Kaushambi Pradeep Gupta said.
He said the matter is being thoroughly probed and strict action will be initiated against those found guilty.
The officer, Dr Seema, said she had gone to the village on the directions of the DPRO to review development works.
She claimed that she was not given water for two-and-a-half-hours despite her being a diabetic.
Cong. demands probe
While the Congress demanded that a high-level probe be ordered into the incident, the Samajwadi Party accused the BJP of “not believing in the Constitution”.
U.P. Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh said: “Incidents of Dalit atrocities are continuously rising in the BJP-ruled States, including Uttar Pradesh. Dalit officials are being threatened and insulted. We have been raising this issue continuously and will continue to do so.”
Press Trust of India
https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/dalit-officer-denied-drinking-water/article24586885.ece