Dalit ragpicker's murder: NHRC issues notice to Gujarat govt

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday sought a report from Gujarat government over the beating to death a ragpicker, who belongs to a Dalit community, by five men in a factory.

Taking suo-motu cognizance of media reports, the NHRC said the incident raises a serious issue of violation of human rights and asked the Gujarat Chief Secretary to submit a report on the incident within four weeks.

The Chief Secretary has also been asked to provide details of the relief provided to the victim's family, an official statement said.

Quoting media reports, the NHRC said the 40-year-old Dalit rag picker was beaten to death at Shapar village in Rajkot district on May 20 allegedly over the issue of collecting scraps in the area.

Following a complaint lodged by the victim’s wife, police have registered an offence of murder and other charges against five unidentified persons under the IPC and Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The NHRC said the victim, a native of Parnala village of Surendranagar district, along with his wife and an acquaintance was picking rags around a factory in Shapar area.

Five unidentified persons from the factory had an altercation with them and all three rag pickers were allegedly beaten up by them. After beating them, the women were sent back while the victim was held by the miscreants.

When the women returned with some other persons, they found the victim on the ground and took him to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead.

Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani, who rose to limelight after organising the protest against the flogging of Dalits in Una, said sharing the video of the assault on Twitter.

"'Mr Mukesh Vaniya belonging to a Scheduled Caste was miserably thrashed and murdered by factory owners in Rajkot and his wife was brutally beaten up...A so-called Vikas model".