In a landmark judgment, the Karnataka High Court has convicted 10 individuals for assaulting members of the Scheduled Castes (SC) in Tumakuru district, overturning a previous acquittal by a lower court in 2011. The assault was reportedly in retaliation for a police complaint filed by the SC members against an upper-caste individual.
Justice J M Khazi of the Karnataka High Court, in his recent verdict, highlighted the gravity of the offense, stating,
“The accused have chosen to assault complainant and others for the simple reason that though they belong to Schedule Caste, they had the courage or audacity of complaining against person belonging to forward community.”
The court sentenced the accused on seven counts, with sentences ranging from two months to one year.
The case dates back to August 2008, when Lakshmamma and other SC members from the Harijan Colony were attacked by a group of men and women from a forward community. The assault, involving clubs and stones, caused bleeding injuries and was allegedly triggered by an earlier attempt by SC members to file a criminal complaint against a forward caste man, DR Sudeep, over a scuffle on the land of one Shivamurthy.
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The High Court criticized the trial court’s handling of the case, stating,
“Without examining the oral and documentary evidence placed on record, the trial court has hurriedly come to a wrong conclusion that the prosecution failed to bring home guilt to the accused. The view taken by the trial court is wholly unreasonable and is not a plausible view.”
The court also noted a misinterpretation of evidence and a failure to appreciate the evidence presented.
The accused, including D R Sudeep, Jayamma, Nataraja, B K Srinivas, D K Shankaraiah, D B Shivakumar, Harsha, B S Shivalingaiah, D N Prakash, Gowramma, and Kalpana, were charged under Sections 143, 147, 148, 323, 324, 149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. B S Shivalingaiah passed away during the trial.
This verdict represents a significant step in addressing caste-based violence and ensuring justice for marginalized communities in India. The Karnataka High Court’s decision to overturn the lower court’s acquittal underscores the judiciary’s commitment to upholding the rights and dignity of all citizens, regardless of caste.
