Anti-Dalit atrocities increase 9.4% despite pandemic, Uttar Pradesh tops the list: Report

By Rahul Singh*
Data on crime against Dalits and Adivasis in the Crime In India Report, 2020 draws a distinct pattern of similarity between rural and urban spaces. Published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), they capture some anomalies and interesting trends. The report also shows that a large proportion of crimes against Dalits and Adivasis involves crime against women.
The report reveals that atrocities/crime against Scheduled Castes have increased by 9.4% in 2020 (50,291) over 2019 (45,935). Uttar Pradesh (12,714 cases) reported the highest number of cases of atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SCs) accounting for 25.2% followed by Bihar with 14.6% (7368) and Rajasthan with 13.9% (7017) during 2020.
The next two states in the list are Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra accounting for 13.7% (6899) and Maharashtra 5.1% (2569). The above top five states reported 72.5% of cases of atrocities against Scheduled Castes. The recent incidents of atrocities against Scheduled Castes in Delhi, Chhattarpur, M.P and Bijnaur, U.P, reflects the harsh realities at the grass roots.
Atrocities/crimes against Scheduled Tribes have increased by 8.4% in 2020 (8,272) over 2019 (7,570). Madhya Pradesh (2401, cases) reported the highest number of cases of atrocities against Scheduled Tribes (STs) accounting for 29.02% followed by Rajasthan with 22.7% (1,878 cases) and Maharashtra with 8.01% (663 cases) during 2020.Odisha was next in the list with 7.54% (624) followed by Telangana at 6.9% (573). The above top five states reported 74.17% of cases of atrocities against Scheduled Tribes.

Cases of rape against schedule caste women account for 6.70% (3372 cases) of the total cases reported. Cases of rape, attempt to rape and assault on women to outrage her modesty cumulatively stood at 12.6% (6835). Similarly, cases of rape against Schedule Tribe women stood at 13.7% (1,137 cases) of the total cases reported. Cases of rape, attempt to rape and assault on women to outrage her modesty cumulatively stood at 24.7% (2,047).
Cases of murder, attempt to murder and grievous hurt were reported as 855, 119 and 1,587 respectively against Scheduled Caste. Similarly for Scheduled Tribes, cases of murder, attempt to murder and grievous hurt were reported as 172, 144 and 125 respectively. When the country was still pleading for the justice for Dalit women, incidents of violence against Dalit Women in Delhi, Chhattarpur, Bijnaur emerged as a shock for the nation.

Even after more than five years of passage of new provisions, SCs and STs (PoA) Amendment Act is not being enforced in a proper manner

Total of 68,456 cases of atrocities against Scheduled Castes were pending for investigation at the end of the year 2020, including previous year cases. Similarly, 11,200 Cases of atrocities against Schedule Tribe were pending for investigation. A total of 48,560 cases of atrocities against SCs and 7840 Cases of atrocities against STs were disposed off by police. Charge sheeting percentage for the atrocities against Scheduled Castes ended with 80.6% and 82.7% for Scheduled Tribes.
A total of 2,30,653 cases of atrocities against SCs and 36652 cases of atrocities against STs came for trial in the court. Out of these cases, trials in 7,637 of atrocities against SCs were completed and 1,219 cases for STs. Conviction percentage under the SCs and STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in conjunction with IPC remained at 42.4% for SCs and 28.5 % for STs.
The acquittal percentage (includes acquittal as well as the cases where the accused is discharged) ended with 57.5% for SCs and 71.5% for STs. At the end of the year 96.7 % of cases of atrocities against SCs were pending whereas for STs, the percentage stood at 96.6 %.
Even after the amendments came in force in year 2016, which generated a hope to the Dalit and Adivasis victims in accessing speedy justice, again the concern remains is the implementation of the amended SCs and STs (PoA) Amended Act 2015 as the experience says that even after the passage of more than five years the new provisions of SCs and STs (PoA) Amendment Act 2015 are not being enforced in a proper manner.
With the audacity with which crimes are conducted it is very much evident that there is complete absence of fear. Shoddy law and governance is very much responsible for encouraging the perpetrators to get away with the crimes.
Escalating atrocities against Dalit and Adivasis across the country even in pandemic shows that Dalits and Adivasis communities are still suffering from inhuman atrocities like murders and mass- murders, social boycott and economic boycott, mass arsons, rapes, gang rapes etc. These are only a few examples, large number of the cases go unreported and are often compromised.
The Government of India that they must:

Robustly, enforce and implement the new provisions of the amended SCs and STs (PoA) Act 1989.
Take swift and robust action against the dominant caste perpetrators violating the human rights of Dalits and Adivasis.
Conduct an open and transparent investigation under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015 and prosecute those Government and police officials who are found to have aided and abetted criminals.
Robustly implement the exclusive special courts mandated in the amended act for speedy trials.

---
*General Secretary, National Dalit Movement for Justice (NDMJ)-NCDHR & Secretariat In-charge, National Coalition for Strengthening the POA Act and Its Implementation (NCSPA)

Comments

Gujarat Information Commission issues warning against misinterpretation of RTI orders

By A Representative The Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has issued a press note clarifying that its orders limiting the number of Right to Information (RTI) applications for certain individuals apply only to those specific applicants. The GIC has warned that it will take disciplinary action against any public officials who misinterpret these orders to deny information to other citizens. The press note, signed by GIC Secretary Jaideep Dwivedi, states that the Right to Information Act, 2005, is a powerful tool for promoting transparency and accountability in public administration. However, the commission has observed that some applicants are misusing the act by filing an excessive number of applications, which disproportionately consumes the time and resources of Public Information Officers (PIOs), First Appellate Authorities (FAAs), and the commission itself. This misuse can cause delays for genuine applicants seeking justice. In response to this issue, and in acc...

Targeted eviction of Bengali-speaking Muslims across Assam districts alleged

By A Representative A delegation led by prominent academic and civil rights leader Sandeep Pandey visited three districts in Assam—Goalpara, Dhubri, and Lakhimpur—between 2 and 4 September 2025 to meet families affected by recent demolitions and evictions. The delegation reported widespread displacement of Bengali-speaking Muslim communities, many of whom possess valid citizenship documents including Aadhaar, voter ID, ration cards, PAN cards, and NRC certification.

'Govts must walk the talk on gender equality, right to health, human rights to deliver SDGs by 2030'

By A Representative With just 64 months left to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global health and rights advocates have called upon governments to honour their commitments on gender equality and the human right to health. Speaking ahead of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), experts warned that rising anti-rights and anti-gender pushes are threatening hard-won progress on SDG-3 (health and wellbeing) and SDG-5 (gender equality).

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Is U.S. fast losing its financial and technological edge under Trump’s second tenure?

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra* The United States, along with its Western European allies, once promoted globalization as a democratic force that would deliver shared prosperity and balanced growth. That promise has unraveled. Globalization, instead of building an even world, has produced one defined by inequality, asymmetry of power, and new vulnerabilities. For decades, Washington successfully turned this system to its advantage. Today, however, under Trump’s second administration, America is attempting to exploit the weaknesses of others without acknowledging how exposed it has become itself.

Gandhiji quoted as saying his anti-untouchability view has little space for inter-dining with "lower" castes

By A Representative A senior activist close to Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar has defended top Booker prize winning novelist Arundhati Roy’s controversial utterance on Gandhiji that “his doctrine of nonviolence was based on an acceptance of the most brutal social hierarchy the world has ever known, the caste system.” Surprised at the police seeking video footage and transcript of Roy’s Mahatma Ayyankali memorial lecture at the Kerala University on July 17, Nandini K Oza in a recent blog quotes from available sources to “prove” that Gandhiji indeed believed in “removal of untouchability within the caste system.”

'MGNREGA crisis deepening': NSM demands fair wages and end to digital exclusions

By A Representative The NREGA Sangharsh Morcha (NSM), a coalition of independent unions of MGNREGA workers, has warned that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is facing a “severe crisis” due to persistent neglect and restrictive measures imposed by the Union Government.

On Teachers’ Day, remembering Mother Teresa as the teacher of compassion

By Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ It is Teachers’ Day once again! Significantly, the day also marks the Feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta (still lovingly called Mother Teresa). In 2012, the United Nations, as a fitting tribute to her, declared this day the International Day of Charity. A day pregnant with meaning—one that we must celebrate as meaningfully as possible.

Gujarat minority rights group seeks suspension of Botad police officials for brutal assault on minor

By A Representative A human rights group, the Minority Coordination Committee (MCC) Gujarat, has written to the Director General of Police (DGP), Gandhinagar, demanding the immediate suspension and criminal action against police personnel of Botad police station for allegedly brutally assaulting a minor boy from the Muslim community.

Counterview

Search This Blog