By A Mirsab, TwoCircles.net
Gujarat: Tension prevailed in Gujarat’s Sodhana village on Friday after Dalit people of the town refused to bury a person from their community who was lynched couple of days ago by a mob due to a land dispute.
On Wednesday, Rama Singrahiya, 42, was allegedly beaten to death by 50 odd men belonging to Maher community when he was sowing castor seeds on a plot in the village, located 30 km away from Porbandar. He died at PDU General Hospital in Rajkot a day later.
Two more people who were employed by Rama to work at the plot were also injured by the mob. Police booked a case under section 302 (homicide) and 34 (jointly committing offence) of IPC.
Following Rama’s death on Thursday, the enraged Dalit community grouped together outside SP office and demanded action against perpetrators or they would not bury him. They sat on a dharna and said he had been cultivating the land for the last 15 years, and his body should be buried there.
In response police detained three people — Parbat Karavadra, Lakhu Mer and Nilesh Babar who were allegedly involved in Rama’s killing. The mob was allegedly led by village sarpanch Harbham Karavadra, who is on the run, police said. According to the police, the Maher community members claim the plot where Rama was farming is gauchar (pastoral) land, meant for cattle grazing.
Reports indicated that Dalit people have not yet buried him and are insisting for his burial at the site where he was killed by the mob. There are also reports that Maher community has written to collector complaining encroachment by Rama of the pastoral land.