10 Jailed In Karnataka For Assaulting Dalits For Filing Police Complaint

Karnataka High Court overturned the lower court verdict and refused the contention of the accused for a lenient view.

The High Court of Karnataka has sentenced 10 people on seven counts with sentences ranging from two months to one year for assaulting members of Schedule Castes for complaining against upper caste people. All the accused from Dunda village in Tumakuru district were earlier acquitted by a Trial Court in 2011.

Overturning the lower court verdict and refusing the contention of the accused for a lenient view, the High Court said, “This Court cannot lose the sight of the fact that without any justification, the accused have chosen to enter the 'Harijan' colony and indiscriminately assault the complainant and others for the simple reason that two of them approached the police and complain against accused No.1.”

A complaint had been filed by members of the Scheduled Castes against one DR Sudeep with regard to an incident that took place on the land of one Shivamurthy.