NHRC Issues Notices to UP Chief Secretary, DGP Over Death of Baghpat Dalit Youth After Assault

The assault occurred on April 27.

Written by: India.com News Desk

Published: May 9, 2018, 6:49 AM IST

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https://www.india.com/news/india/nhrc-issues-notices-to-up-chief-secretary-dgp-over-death-of-baghpat-dalit-youth-after-assault-3042639/ Copy

Village women mourn the death of Akash Khondwal (ANI)

New Delhi, May 9: Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports of the fatal assault on a 19-year-old Dalit youth and his 16-year-old nephew reportedly by upper caste people in district Baghpat end of April, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh government.

Following the April 27 incident, most of the Dalits of the village deserted their homes. The elder of the two, Akash Khondwal, died of multiple organ failure triggered by renal trauma and septicaemia during medical treatment on May 7. The Commission said that if media reports were true then they raise ‘serious issue of violation of human rights of the victim as well as the other families belonging to the Dalit community,’ said a report in The Times of India.

NHRC notices have been given to Chief Secretary Rajive Kumar and Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, OP Singh, seeking a detailed report.  The Commission has asked them to inform of the steps taken for the relief and rehabilitation of the affected families. They have been given four weeks to respond.

Meanwhile, ANI reported that seven people have been arrested in connection with the death of the youth and investigations were underway. Akash had been on ventilator support at a Meerut hospital after being bashed by an iron rod on April 27. According to a report in The Indian Express, police felt that the attack, allegedly by Gujjars, was triggered by an affair between a Dalit man and a Gujjar woman.