Custodial killing of adivasi youth 'highlights' rising atrocities in Rajasthan and MP

By A Representative

The Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch (AARM) has issued a strong condemnation following the alleged custodial killing of 22-year-old Dilip Ahari, an Adivasi youth from Kalariya village in Dungarpur district, Rajasthan. Ahari was arrested on September 26th on theft charges and reportedly subjected to brutal torture at the Dowda Police Station. He was subsequently hospitalized in critical condition at the Dungarpur district hospital, later transferred to RNT Medical College, Udaipur, and was declared dead on September 30th.

AARM links this incident of custodial torture and death to a disturbing trend indicated in the recently released National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report. The report highlights a 28.8% increase in recorded cases of atrocities against Scheduled Tribes (STs) in 2023 compared to the previous year.

The statement further points out that Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are among the states recording the highest number of crimes against Adivasis. In 2023, excluding Manipur (which saw a surge of 3,399 cases, up from one in 2022, attributed to ongoing ethnic strife), Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan ranked second and third respectively in the number of reported cases of crimes against Scheduled Tribes. In 2022, both states, along with a few others, accounted for a substantial portion of all recorded atrocities against Adivasis. Madhya Pradesh, where STs form 21.1% of the population, previously had the highest number of crimes against STs in 2022.

The AARM also draws attention to a similar case of custodial death in July 2024 in Madhya Pradesh, where police officers allegedly responsible were not arrested until the Supreme Court issued a warning of contempt proceedings last week.

AARM asserts that this pattern indicates a situation in certain states where Adivasis are frequently subjected to atrocities, including at the hands of government officials and the police.

Members of the Adivasi Janadhikar Eka Manch, a constituent of AARM, have been protesting at the Dungarpur District Collectorate, demanding justice for the victim's family. The AARM demands the immediate arrest of the police personnel involved in the death of Dilip Ahari and calls for fair and adequate compensation to his family.

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