Dalit siblings attacked and abused in Alappuzha, police arrest six people

Kerala Police have arrested six persons for allegedly assaulting a Dalit girl and her two minor brothers in Alappuzha district of Kerala on July 7. The accused also allegedly hurled anti-caste abuses at them. Poochakkal police registered a case on Monday, July 8, following a complaint by 19-year-old Nilav, a Dalit girl from Thaikkattuserry near Cherthala. The accused are Shaiju, Shailas, Vally, Manoj, Raji and Abin. All the accused also hail from Thaikkattusery and live near Nilav’s house. According to Nilav, the accused belong to the Dheevara community, which comes under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

Nilav is currently undergoing medical treatment at Thuravoor Government Hospital. “I have severe pain in my limbs and cannot walk properly due to pain. I was injured on my stomach when they kicked me,” she told TNM. Nilav has been told to contact doctors at Ernakulam General Hospital for further treatment.

The incident took place on Sunday, July 7, when the accused stopped Nilav’s brothers near their house and Shaiju and Manoj physically held and pushed them. While Nilav tried to separate them, Shaiju, Valli and Shailas pulled her, tugged at her dress and tore it. “This was humiliating and mental distress to the complainant,” the FIR said. The accused also used derogatory words, named her caste and announced in front of the local residents that he would not let “such” people live there. A video of the atrocity was aired on the internet.

According to reports, Nilav had earlier filed a complaint against the accused alleging that they had beaten up her brothers, but the police had not taken any action or filed a complaint. However, Poochakkal police said they initially received a complaint from Shaiju against the two minor boys alleging that they had insulted him. “We called the boys to the station as part of our investigation but only Nilav came to the station. Then she filed a complaint against Shaiju alleging that he had beaten up her brothers,” said Jose, the house officer of Poochakal station. He added that the incident took place when she was returning from the police station after filing the complaint against Shaiju.

According to Nilav, they were attacked after their brothers returned from playing outside. “They (the accused) were drinking alcohol. They started harassing my brothers and when I intervened, they harassed me too,” she said.

Nilav’s uncle stated that the main accused, Shaiju, had ill intentions towards the Nilav family and that it started with a phone call. “Shaiju’s son is friends with Nilav’s brothers. One day, those boys called Shaiju’s son to play. But Shaiju used abusive and derogatory words against the brothers and that’s how it all started,” he added.

The next day, the accused beat up Nilav’s brothers and on July 7, Nilav filed a complaint. However, the police did not register the complaint. On the same day, all the accused attacked them. They were booked under sections 189 (unlawful assembly), 190 (inciting riot), 191 (rioting), 115 (intentionally causing hurt), 118 (grievous hurt), 126 (wrongful deprivation of liberty), 296 (obscene act), 351 (threatening violence) and 74 (physical insult) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

They were also booked under sections 3(1)(s) (abuse of a member in public) and 3(2)(va) (offence against a SC/ST person or his property) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (Amendment 2015).