The Chairperson of the Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Commission, Kuldeep Kumar, and other Commission members, visited the Police Headquarters in Shimla on Tuesday. The visit was to discuss the suicide case of a twelve-year-old boy from the Scheduled Caste community, a resident of Limbra village, Shimla, according to an official statement.
The statement added that, following up on an earlier meeting held on October 1, the Chairperson requested certain reports and relevant documents, which were duly provided to the Commission.
The panel was briefed on the progress made in the suicide case since October 1. Expressing displeasure over the functioning of Shimla Police, the Chairperson issued further instructions to ensure strict compliance with the directions previously given by the Commission.
The Director General of Police, Himachal Pradesh, assured the Commission that all provisions of the Act would be implemented fully. He also said that all necessary steps would be taken to ensure justice and sensitivity in such matters, the press note added.
Earlier, in a similar incident involving the alleged suicide of a Dalit following caste-based discrimination in Rohru, Shimla district, a protest erupted demanding justice. The incident sparked widespread outrage across Himachal Pradesh.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM), along with local residents and Dalit rights organisations, staged protests on earlier in the month demanding justice for the minor and strict action against the perpetrators.
Protesters gathered in Shimla carrying placards and shouting slogans condemning caste-based discrimination, as well as the "failure of the system to protect vulnerable sections of society."
Leading the protest, CPIM leaders Rakesh Singha (former MLA) and Sanjay Chauhan said that it was "deeply shameful and unfortunate" that incidents of caste-based discrimination continue to occur even after 78 years of India's Independence.
"It is a matter of great concern that even today, in an Independent India, caste-based discrimination is forcing innocent lives into despair," said Rakesh Singha, CPIM leader and former MLA.
According to CPIM, the boy, a Dalit minor from Rohru, had been subjected to continuous humiliation and discrimination on the basis of his caste, which allegedly led him to take his own life. The party also claimed that instead of seeking justice, some individuals were attempting to defame the minor's character by falsely alleging that he had a habit of stealing.
"Some people are now trying to justify this horrific act by claiming the boy was a habitual thief," said Singha.
"But the police have confirmed that no FIR or record exists regarding any such allegation. This is a cruel attempt to divert attention from the real issue of caste-based oppression," he added.
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