The Hindu : Front Page : Dalit siblings thrashed by landlord

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Monday, May 05, 2008
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Dalit siblings thrashed by landlord

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Three Dalit siblings living as tenants in Mukherjee Nagar here were allegedly beaten up and abused by their landlord’s family on Saturday apparently after they learnt of their Scheduled Caste status.

Two sisters and a brother living on the third floor of 165 Mukherjee Nagar claimed that they were beaten up and punched by their landlord Om Prakash Grover, his wife, their son and daughter in-law on Saturday after one of the sisters, Kanaklata, went downstairs to fill water.

“They did not let her fill water and instead started beating her with a slipper. My brother Chandra Bhushan who tried to intervene was also beaten up. On hearing the commotion, I rushed downstairs. They tried to tear my clothes and one of the sons of our landlord punched me. They hurled abuses at us. A number of people had gathered outside the house but no one came forward to help us,” claimed Manorama, the other sister, on Sunday.

When the victims called their brother Vijay Bahadur, who stays nearby in a separate accommodation, and a friend, they too were allegedly thrashed by Mr. Grover and his family.

However, the police said that as per preliminary investigations it appeared to be a case of quarrel between the landlord and tenants over water distribution since there was an acute scarcity in the area. “Nonetheless an inquiry into the allegations is on and a case would be registered under relevant sections on the basis of its findings,’ said the police.

Kanaklata is doing her M. Phil. from Delhi University, while Manorama is a teacher and Chandra Bhushan is studying MCA from Amity University. Apparently, the siblings have been living as tenants for more than a year.

“A few months ago, when Mr. Grover’s daughter got married, we gave him five months’ rent in advance so that he faced no financial hurdles. We even cooperated with them and participated in the ceremonies like family members,” recalled Manorama.

The relations between the two families apparently soured, when about four days ago Mr. Grover found out that the siblings were Dalits. “They began asking us to vacate the house. They started harassing us. They stopped providing water to us,” said Manorama.

After the police were called in on Saturday, both the parties were taken to the Mukherjee Nagar police station. The siblings claimed that they were “pressurised” by the police to strike a compromise with their landlord.

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