Sitting on dharna in Amreli, father of murdered Dalit youth seeks justice from Gujarat CM

By A Representative
In a letter, Ratilal Ramjibhai Zala, father of Mahesh Ratilal Zala, who was murdered in Amreli town on October 1, 2018, has asked Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani to ensure that the accused should be arrested forthwith. Currently, the Zala family, with the support of other Dalit activists under the leadership of human rights defender Kantilal Parmar, are sitting on dharna in front of the district collector’s office demanding justice.
Mahesh was killed by three persons in Amreli, yet, says the letter, till today none of the three accused have been arrested. All three have run away from their residence. As a consequence of this incident, his family members are living under fear. Hence, there is an urgent need to arrest the accused. As many as 45 days have passed, yet the accused are roaming free.
The letter also asks the chief minister to immediately respond to the human rights violation by compensating the family as per rule 12(4) of the Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1995, with pension every month to a dependent family member. Also, the family members should be adequately rehabilitated under rule 15 the Act 1995 by providing land for agriculture, house, or employment in the state government.
The letter wants that the state government should appoint a special public prosecutor to fight the case in the court, and police protection should provide round to the family round the clock. Demanding handing over of investigation to CBI or SIT, it adds, the authorities should invoke IPC 114, 120(B) and 3(2)(5a), even as lodging separate FIR against persons who gave shelter to the accused after committing the crime.

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