A 40-year-old Dalit village head, Satyamev Jayate aka Pappu Ram, was shot dead in Uttar Pradesh's Bansgaon village, on Friday, 14 August. His death led to violent protests by the villagers, who attacked police personnel and burnt down vehicles.
A local child was also crushed to death in the stampede.
The incident prompted Bahujan Samaj Party's National President, Mayawati to attack the BJP-led UP government over the violence in Azamgarh district. She expressed her grief for the deaths in her tweet, on Saturday.
“The news of the brutal murder of Dalit head Satyamev Jayate Pappu in Bansgaon, Azamgarh on the eve of Independence Day and the killing of one other is very sad. What is the difference between the previous SP government and present BJP government if Dalits are subjected to atrocities in this manner and murdered?” she tweeted on Saturday.
According to NDTV, Satyamev Jayate was shot six times, leading to his death.
Following which, hundreds of locals gathered at the site in protest and resorted to violence. Hindustan Times also reported that the mob attacked the Bongaria Bazar police outpost, pelted stones at the police personnel and set four motorcycles ablaze. The rampage resulted in a child's death as well.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced Rs 5 lakh each for the families of the deceased. Taking cognisance of the incident he expressed his grief and instructed officials to ensure action under the National Security Act and Gangster Act against the assailants.
"The district administration would also give Rs 4.25 lakh each to the families of the village head and the boy as both were Dalits after the post mortem examination reports," Vijay Vishwash Pant, Azamgarh’s divisional commissioner, told HT.
The BSP supremo also took cognisance of another incidence in Pakariya village of Lakhimpur Kheri, UP, where a minor Dalit girl was raped.
"The government should take strict action against the culprits of Kheri along with Azamgarh, this is the demand of BSP," she tweeted.
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