Bengaluru city stands second in SC/STs atrocities

Bengaluru may be making strides in technology and expected to be a model for other districts, but the city stands second in terms of atrocities against SC/STs.

As many as 218 atrocity cases including murder and rape have been registered in Bengaluru Urban district in the year 2017 alone, whereas, 106 cases have been registered in Bengaluru rural district. Bengaluru stands second after Bagalkot, in rising number of atrocities against scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, according to the report on Implementation of Prevention of Atrocities Act for the year 2017.

A committee for Monitoring and Strengthening SCs/STs in Karnataka (CMASK) & Karnataka Dalita Mahila Vedike (KDMV) analysed and prepared the detailed report on atrocities on SC/STs in Karnataka which will be submitted to the state government seeking its intervention in preventing and curbing them.

Over the past six years, Bengaluru has either been topping the list or has been holding the second place in terms of atrocities. Kumbalgodu in South West Bengaluru, Channasandra in East Bengaluru, Srinivasapur near Kolar, Harohalli near Kanakapura and Beechanahalli near Mysuru are the areas reporting most atrocities against SC/STs in and around Bengaluru, says the report.

According to the report, 17 rape cases have been reported in Bengaluru in 2017, the highest, compared to other districts.

“Women in SC/ST communities are exploited in many ways — physically, mentally and sexually even in today’s society. In this era of #MeToo, it is our duty to become the voice of innocent Dalit women who are least cared for by the government and judicial bodies,” said Yashodha P, state convener, CMASK and KDMV.

The report says that 2,140 atrocity cases have been reported in 2017 which is about 11.92% more compared to the previous year where 1,912 cases were reported.

Ganga Ram Baderia, Principal Secretary of the Social Welfare Department, Karnataka said that the report will be submitted to all deputy commissioners to urge them to carry out a quarterly review and update it on the department’s website. “Our department will identify those associations and groups genuinely working towards curtailing atrocities on Dalits and support them. We will also come up with Dalit welfare schemes in future if needed,” he said.