[Reader-list] Rajasthan: Dalit girl harassed by Gujjars leaves home

[Asit Das]

Rajasthan: Dalit girl harassed by Gujjars leaves home HT
Correspondent<http://www.hindustantimes.com/Search/search.aspx?q=HT%20Correspondent&op=auth>,
Hindustan Times  Ajmer, January 30, 2014
 First Published: 18:51 IST(30/1/2014) | Last Updated: 19:18 IST(30/1/2014)




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Failed to withstand threat pressures from Gujjar community of Dumada
village a dalit girl and her family left their village home on 29 January
to take shelter at a safer place. Dalit rights activists here informed that
fearing a backlash from the Gujjar community the family has left their home
to a safer place.

 The family was living under constant pressure from Gujjar community for
filing a molestation case against one of them. The community had threatened
to strip their 13-year-old in public if the case was not withdrawn.

Hindustan Times had highlighted the incident in its edition dated January
28. The teenager alleged that 55-year-old Raghunath Gujjar of the village
allegedly molested her after forcibly dragging onto a room on his farm.

The girl was shepherding cattle and some of them entered onto the fields of
the accused. The father of the girl, who works as labourer was in Ajmer
while her mother was away at work on a Nerga site at the time of incident.
Later as case was registered against the accused.

Dalit Rights Activists alleged that police failed to provide protection to
the family.

"Despite our repeated complaints to the police about threats they did not
take an action for the safety of the family, alleged Ramesh Chand Bansal
District Coordinator of Center for Dalit Rights. We have written a latter
to Women's Commission for intervention in the case, he said.

DySP Preeti Chaudhary was unaware of the family's migration from the
village. "We will inquire into the incident and if threat perception to the
family was found true stern action would be taken against people who are
threatening the family," she said.