HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times  Ajmer, January 28, 2014

 A few members of the Gurjar community have threatened to strip a 13-year-old Dalit girl living in the Ajmer district of Rajasthan, if she does not withdraw a molestation case.

The Dalit girl’s family, who live in Dumada village, 20 km from Ajmer, are living in constant fear after threats from the Gurjar community members. The village is dominated by Gurjars with only two Dalit families.

The Gurjars have threatened to kill the family and strip their daughter in public if they don’t withdraw a case of molestation registered against Raghunath Gurjar, 55, who allegedly molested the girl, said Ramesh Chand Bansal, coordinator of Center for Dalit Rights.

According to Bansal, on January 21 Raghunath Gurjjar allegedly molested the teenager after forcibly dragging her into a room on his farm. The girl had taken her cattle for grazing and a few of them had entered into the fields of the accused.

The father of the victim who works as a labourer was in Ajmer city while her mother was away to work on a NERGA site. The victim narrated the incident after her parents returned and reported the matter to police. The victim has alleged that the upper caste members are threatening them and asking them to withdraw the case, alleged the victim’s father.

Bansal alleged that police tried to weaken the case and has not added the relevant POSCO and SC/ST sections. The police have registered the case under section 354 and 341 sections of the IPC, said Bansal.

“We are investigating the matter,” Preeti Chaudhary, CO, rural Ajmer, said.

 

Read more here —  http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/gurjars-in-ajmer-threaten-to-strip-dalit-girl/article1-1177373.aspx

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