"Surviving a Violent Attack: A
Personal Account of Resilience and Seeking Justice"
As a soldier,
until I reached Kabirchaura carrying me, by then the time for the note had run
out.
My name is
Ajit Kumar, and I am 24 years old. My father's name is Santosh Kumar. I
received my education up to the 10th grade. I am married and used to work as a
laborer in transportation in Mumbai. Due to the lockdown, work had come to a
standstill. Because of this, I returned to my village on August 13, 2020. I am
a resident of Gram-Dinapur, Thana-Badagawa, District-Varanasi.
I had never
dreamt that such a tragic incident would happen with my family. It was the
morning of August 14, 2020. It was around 5:30 AM. I was heading towards the
field. I saw about 250-300 people coming from that direction with sticks and
half-naked, heading towards the village. Seeing them approach like this, I got
scared. They were advancing rapidly towards the settlement. I gathered the
courage to approach them and talk to them.
That's when
Kallu Rajbhar's son Dharmu and Chamru's son Pankaj struck me hard on both my
shoulders with wooden sticks. The blow hit my right hand, and I tried to grab
the stick. The stick hit my right wrist, and at that moment, I felt my bone
break, and I fell to the ground. My hand was in excruciating pain.
At that time,
the Rajbhar people were not willing to listen to anyone. They were pelting
stones in the settlement. My hand was in so much pain that I couldn't
understand anything. I ran away from there to save my life and hid in Pramod
Chacha's house nearby. I was very scared at that time. I was constantly looking
at the door, afraid that they might come. I felt so helpless, unable to do
anything. My fingers were in intense pain, and I was crying.
The people in
the settlement were worried, but I was cowering in fear. After some time, there
was silence, and I gathered the courage to come out. The people in the
settlement were shocked. My parents, aunt, and brothers had been severely
injured. Someone had a head injury; someone had a fracture. Durgavati aunt's
jaw was completely fractured. The villagers were troubled by taking care of
them.
Seeing all
this pain, I forgot about my own pain. The people in the settlement called 112
for help, but the call didn't go through. They called the Village Head. He
came, informed the police, and the police arrived at the scene. We all went to
the police station. From there, we were sent to a government hospital for medical
treatment, where they bandaged everyone's injuries. Those who had suffered
serious injuries were referred to Kabirchaura.
Due to the
delay in reaching Kabirchaura, the time for filing a report had passed. We
returned from the hospital that day. That night, there was a strange silence in
the settlement. My house is on the outskirts, and I was very scared. Rajbhar
people have fields right next to my house, and they are troublemakers. If they
had attacked again, it would have been difficult to save ourselves. I spent the
night thinking about it. Even today, we live in fear of them. They threaten us
that they will kill us and send us to jail.
Due to their
fear, we are always on edge. We can't sleep peacefully at night. We go out of
the village fearing for our lives. This incident happened about 15 days ago.
Rajbhar people were leaving in a tractor. I was riding a motorcycle with a
person from the settlement. We honked, but they didn't let us pass. They create
problems everywhere and try to confront us. Their behavior makes us feel unsafe
all the time.
We have filed
an FIR against them at the police station, but they filed a counter-complaint,
alleging that we went to the settlement and caused trouble. It's very
disappointing. Rajbhar people still threaten us. We are trying to avoid them,
but they are still trying to provoke us. This situation has weakened us
financially. It's been about two and a half months since we lost our source of
income. My uncle Ashok is in debt because of his wife's medical treatment. We have
spent a lot on everyone's medical expenses.
My hand,
which used to work, is now useless. I don't know how to show it to a doctor. I
feel alone, and these thoughts constantly haunt me. I want the actions of the
Rajbhar people against me to be investigated so that I can get justice.
"A
Personal Account of a Violent Incident in a Village."
"I had never imagined that when
I came to visit my family, I would find myself in such a situation. My name is
Anil Kumar, and I am 38 years old. My father's name was late Shri Mata Prasad.
I am married and have two children: my elder son, Aryan, is 14 years old, and
my younger son is named Ayush. I belong to a scheduled caste. I reside in
Deenapur, post-Kudi, police station-Badagaon, district-Varanasi. I completed my
education up to the intermediate level. I work as a driver for a private bus in
Maharashtra. I always stay away from home, working hard to support my family,
so they don't face any difficulties.
Recently, my father's health
deteriorated, so I came home to visit on February 24, 2020. During this time,
my father passed away on March 24, and I stayed back to perform the final
rites. This happened during the lockdown period.
The incident occurred on August 13,
2020, around 5:30 PM. A boy from our village named Ajay, the son of Ramujagir,
went to confront a boy in the nearby field. There was a field owned by a Pandit
adjacent to ours, and a person known as Teman, also called Pancham, was in that
field. A dispute arose between Ajay and Teman regarding the field's boundaries.
Meanwhile, Ramashray's son Dharmu, who was 18 years old, arrived at the scene and
attacked Ajay with a stick. As soon as Ajay was hit, he retaliated by hitting
Dharmu on the face with a stick. The argument between them continued, and at
that moment, people from Rajbhar Basti arrived with sticks and clubs.
Someone went to inform the police
about the fight in the field. Five women from Basti Deenapur, three or four
boys, and some elders reached the scene. They began pleading with the
attackers, asking them to spare the boy because he was young. It seemed like
the situation had calmed down. However, little did we know that people from all
three Bastis were conspiring together.
On September 14, 2020, at 5:30 AM,
everyone in my house was still asleep. I had gone outside after using the
restroom when I saw that people from all three Bastis were standing near my
gate, about 500 meters away. They had come armed with lathis, sticks, spears,
clubs, swords, half-bricks, and iron rods.
I rushed towards the water pump
nearby to wash my face when suddenly I felt a heavy blow on my head from
behind. I immediately fell to the ground, and at that moment, everything seemed
hazy. Blood was flowing, and it felt like I was losing consciousness. The
attackers were mercilessly beating everyone, including women, children, and the
elderly, and snatching mobile phones from anyone who had one. Those who were
being beaten pleaded for mercy, but it had no effect. People from the village
finally called the head of the village, who arrived an hour later and told us
to go to the primary health center with the police for medical examination.
I had suffered head injuries and had
to undergo treatment from a private doctor, costing me 10,000 rupees. I am
still bedridden, and all the money I had earned for my family has been spent on
medical expenses. I have not been able to provide for my family's daily needs.
Even now, I experience pain in my head when I sleep, and I feel dizzy when I
stand up. Due to a lack of funds, I haven't been able to get proper medical
treatment.
One night, around 12 AM, 20-25
policemen came to the Basti, and all the people from the Basti fled upon
hearing the police sirens. My wife asked me who had instructed me to come
outside, but I had no idea that those people would attack me too.
My wife was very worried and saddened
to see me in this condition, but I kept reassuring her. I never thought that
when I came to visit my family, I would end up in such a situation. Now, I hope
to recover soon and return to work so that I can support my family.
I also hope that those responsible
for the unjust treatment of my entire family will face legal consequences for
their actions."
"A Terrifying Incident: The
Urgent Need for Timely Police Intervention."
My name is
Ashok Kumar, a 48-year-old belonging to the Chamar community in Gram-Deenapur,
Thana-Badagav, District-Varanasi. In my family, there is my wife and five
children. I work as a laborer.
On the
morning of August 14, 2020, around 5:30 AM, a loud commotion disrupted our
peaceful morning. I came out of the house to investigate and saw a mob of about
250 people advancing towards our colony, armed with sticks and rods. They
started pelting stones, causing chaos.
Inside our
house, my wife, Durgavati, was unaware of the unfolding situation. Our
neighbor's son, Rahul, managed to defend himself using a sharp weapon but
accidentally injured himself in the process. The situation quickly escalated as
the mob, mostly from the Rajbhar community, mercilessly attacked our colony's
residents.
Desperate for
help, we tried calling 112, but the phone was not working. My wife's condition
deteriorated rapidly, and I felt utterly helpless. Fortunately, someone alerted
the village head, who called the police. When the police arrived, they
immediately recognized the severity of my wife's injuries and rushed her to a
nearby government hospital.
At the
hospital, they advised us to go to Kabirchaura for specialized treatment.
However, when we arrived there, there were no available doctors or facilities
to treat her. This left me in a state of despair, not knowing where to turn for
help.
In this
moment of crisis, I couldn't have imagined the terrible incident that had
unfolded that morning. If only the local police station had been alerted
earlier, perhaps this tragedy could have been prevented.
"Survivor's Account of a Violent Altercation and the Quest for Justice."
"I had no idea that intervening
in that argument would cost me so dearly.
My name is Sanjay Gautam, and I am 30
years old. My husband's name is Bachche Lal. I reside in Deenapur, Post-Kudi,
Thana-Badagaon, District-Varanasi. I am married and have two children. My elder
son, Shaukhin Kumar, is 6 years old, and Jaswant Kumar is 5 years old. My
mother's name is Bela Devi, and I have received education up to the 5th grade.
I work as a pipeline feeder in a warehouse in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
The incident took place on August 13,
2020, at 5:30 in the morning when a boy from our village named Ajay, the son of
Ramujagir Bachda, went to graze cattle in a field adjacent to a priest's field.
At that time, a man named Teman, also known as Pancham, was grazing his cattle
there. An altercation began between Ajay and Teman over the grazing area. Teman
accused Ajay of grazing his cattle on the land meant for the Chamar community.
In the midst of this argument, Ramashray's son, Dharmu, aged 18, arrived at the
scene and struck Ajay with a stick. As soon as Ajay was hit, he became
disoriented and retaliated by hitting Dharmu on the cheek with a stick. The
argument between them continued.
Just then, people from Rajbhar Basti
in Deenapur, along with residents from two other Kudi Bastis, arrived at the
scene, carrying sticks, rods, spears, axes, clubs, and bricks. They started
beating women, children, and elderly people mercilessly and snatched mobile
phones from those who had them. I watched in astonishment after returning from
the fields after defecating, not knowing that I would also be attacked. I thought
that maybe if I tried to reason with them, the situation would de-escalate.
However, when I attempted to explain, they also beat me with a stick. The blow
landed on my left hand and shoulder. My finger was seriously injured, and I was
in excruciating pain.
I clutched my hand in pain, unable to
do anything. The assailants were indiscriminately beating anyone who came in
their way. The violence continued for about an hour and a half. The village
headman was informed about the incident, and he arrived at the scene. The
police from Badagaon Police Station also arrived, and all those who were
injured were taken to the police station. The police instructed us to get a
medical examination done before taking any further action. Those who were
seriously injured were referred to Banaras (Varanasi) for medical treatment. My
injured finger was wrapped in a hot bandage, but it still hurts. Even after so
many days, the pain is unbearable.
I often wonder why I got involved in
that argument. So many people suffered due to that altercation. During the
lockdown period, when financial difficulties were already weighing on us
heavily, I became incapable of doing any work due to my hand injury. I had
difficulty in basic activities like bathing, dressing, and doing household chores.
I was constantly troubled by thoughts of the incident. The fear of a similar
attack on my family and me haunts me. Day and night, the incident plays in
front of my eyes.
It has been a month, and no one has
been arrested. At this moment, my family and I are receiving threats. I am
worried that my family may face another attack. The pain of that incident
remains with me, and I hope that justice will be served, just as it should be
for my entire family."
"Seeking Justice Amidst Tragedy: A Family's Struggle for Redress in the Face of Violence"
In a heart-wrenching tale of
unforeseen tragedy, no one could have predicted that a simple dispute over
grazing cattle would force my entire family to confront death itself. My name
is Santosh Kumar, and I am 50 years old. I hail from the village of Deenapur in
the Kurdi post office area of Badagaon, Pindra tehsil, Varanasi district. I
have three sons - all of them are grown-up young men. My eldest son, Sujit
Kumar, is 32 years old, followed by Ajit Kumar at 23, and the youngest, Suraj,
is 21. My education is limited to primary school, and I belong to the Chamara
caste. My wife's name is Shakuntala Devi, and I found contentment in providing
for my family through manual labor.
Little did anyone know that a trivial
dispute over cattle grazing would lead to a life-and-death struggle for my
entire family.
The incident occurred on the evening
of August 13, 2020, around 5:30 PM when a young man from our village, Ajay, son
of Ramujagir, went to graze his cattle in the field adjacent to ours. In the
same field, there was a plot owned by a man known as Teman, also called
Pancham. In one way or another, tensions escalated between Teman and Ajay over
cattle grazing. Teman asked Ajay why he, a low-caste Chamar, was grazing his
cattle there.
In the midst of this altercation,
Ramashray's son, Dharmu, aged 18, arrived at the scene and struck Ajay with a
stick, leading to Ajay retaliating by hitting Dharmu on the face. The exchange
continued when suddenly, people from Rajbhar Basti in Deenapur village arrived
with sticks and lathis. Someone went and informed them about the fight in the
field, and five women and three to four men from Basti Deenapur arrived, urging
everyone to stop, saying, "Leave the child alone; he's just a child."
They assured that the matter would be resolved.
After some negotiation, they decided
to disperse and return to their respective homes, believing that everything had
been resolved. Little did they know that the residents of three bastis were
conspiring together. On September 14, 2020, at around 5:30 AM, they arrived at
Harjan Basti in Deenapur, wielding lathis, sticks, spears, tridents, clubs,
swords, and even a half-brick.
They immediately began attacking
women, children, and the elderly, seizing anyone holding a mobile phone. Those
who were attacking mercilessly paid no heed to the cries and pleas of the
victims.
Even the government's public toilet,
which was in the vicinity, was demolished. All the residents were in a state of
panic, and it seemed as though there was no escape from the relentless violence
that engulfed the area. People were running in all directions, but no one was
safe.
It was as though an endless nightmare
had descended upon us, and escape seemed impossible. People were being brutally
beaten on all sides. The valuable items in homes, including chairs, tables, and
other precious belongings, were destroyed. All the women who were found were
beaten severely.
Even as chaos reigned, the brutality
continued unabated. Nobody seemed to listen to the cries for mercy. It was a
horrifying scene of utter lawlessness.
As I desperately pleaded for mercy,
Ramesh Rajbhar struck me with a stick, causing darkness to descend before my
eyes. I immediately tried to flee, holding my injured hand, but Munna Rajbhar
hit me as well. At that moment, my three sons arrived, visibly shaken by the
brutal spectacle. They yelled for me to run, and as I did, Surenra Rajbhar,
also known as Dilip Rajbhar, and Dharmu Rajbhar, struck my three sons with
sticks, causing grievous injuries.
One of my sons, Suraj, was struck on
the head, and blood began to flow from his wound as he fell to the ground
unconscious. His head was badly injured, and he lay there motionless. My other
son, Ajit Kumar, reached the scene just in time to witness the horrific
violence against his brother. He too was struck with a stick, causing his
fingers to fracture, and blood started to flow.
My wife, Shakuntala Devi, and my
sister-in-law, Durgavati Devi, arrived and pleaded with the attackers to spare
our children. But to no avail. Ramesh Rajbhar and Sandeep Rajbhar struck
Durgavati Devi with half a stick each, leaving her severely wounded. Shakuntala
Devi was also struck with a stick on her left forearm, causing a deep gash from
which blood poured.
Sanjay, Lal's son from our village,
came to the scene and begged for mercy, joining his hands in supplication. But
his pleas went unheard as well. He was struck with a stick so forcefully that
his left hand suffered a compound fracture. Sanjay grasped his hand and fled in
terror, crying out in pain. Even his cries were met with more blows, as three
sticks hit his back.
This is a harrowing account of the
terrible violence that befell our family and village. The unimaginable
brutality that unfolded on that fateful day left scars that will never heal and
serves as a painful reminder of the darkness that can descend when humanity is
abandoned.
At that very moment, when Mother
Prasad bowed towards the door, Rajbhar's children also cunningly attacked Anil,
Mother Prasad's son. Anil was struck by surprise, and in the midst of this
chaos, Manju Devi, Rajbhar's sister-in-law, was standing by the door. Rajbhar's
children managed to strike her as well. As they brutally broke down the door
while attacking Rambha, all the other women in the house fled, leaving behind
valuable possessions.
As they were leaving, they ruthlessly
destroyed everything in the house, breaking and vandalizing whatever they
found. Nirmala arrived just then and wondered why they were breaking the door.
Upon hearing her question, they turned on her, and in the heat of the moment,
Nirmala raised her hand to protect herself. Unfortunately, a piece of glass cut
her hand, causing it to bleed profusely. She screamed and ran away in fear.
In the midst of this chaos, everyone
in the neighborhood rushed out of their homes, witnessing the devastation and
hearing the cries. I couldn't comprehend what was happening at that moment; it
felt like my mind had stopped functioning. Without delay, I dialed 112, but the
call didn't connect. So, I asked a villager to call and inform the authorities
about the grave incident that had occurred in Deenapur Basti.
During this time, the village head
arrived in Deenapur. When he arrived at the police station and made the call,
the inspector and the police team immediately responded, saying, "Come
with us to the station; we are on our way."
At that time, no one was in a
condition to walk; everyone was bleeding. The sight of blood made us feel
faint, and I was losing courage as I headed to the police station. However,
when we finally reached the station somehow, the Station House Officer (SHO)
told us to get five people from Basni Primary Health Center for medical
examination.
After the medical examination, we
returned to the police station, where an FIR (First Information Report) was registered.
After the initial report was filed, I received a copy of the FIR and went home.
However, five of the injured individuals - Santosh, Sanjay, Suraj, Ajit, and
Durgavati Devi - were referred for further medical treatment at Kabirchaura
Hospital.
Taking the doctor's advice, we sent
all the injured individuals to Kabirchaura, but after a delay, the medical
treatment did not happen there. Therefore, all the injured individuals returned
home. They were treating themselves with local remedies and medications that
they had at home.
Three days passed this way, and on
the 17th of August, I took them to Kabirchaura. Only then did they receive
medical attention. Some received their reports later. However, my sister
Durgavati Devi's medical report could not be obtained because there was no
machine at Kabirchaura Hospital for such tests.
So, I went to the CO's office and
explained the situation, saying that my sister's medical examination was not
possible there. The CO's office advised me to get a medical examination done at
a private hospital, assuring me that it would not be a problem.
Following their advice, I went to
Bhojubir Super Specialty Hospital for the medical examination. After getting
the medical examination done, I submitted the medical reports to the CO's
office. I arranged for the medical treatment of all the injured individuals,
including admitting my sister to the hospital because her injuries were severe.
I have been struggling to get
everyone's treatment and am still in debt because of it. It has been a month
now, and no one has been arrested. At this point, I am being threatened
whenever I step outside, with warnings that they will harm my children and
wife. The incident haunts my thoughts day and night.
All the earners in my family are
currently injured, and they are sitting at home, unable to work. I am facing
immense mental distress. I hope that the same legal action will be taken
against those who have caused harm to my entire family without any reason.
"A Terrifying Incident of Violence and Assault in a Village."
"I always live in fear that they
might come back and attack us again. My name is Suraj Kumar, and I'm 20 years
old. My father's name is Santosh Kumar. I reside in the village of Kudi, under
the jurisdiction of Badagaon in the Varanasi district. I completed my education
up to the 8th grade. I belong to the Harjan community, and my mother's name is
Shakuntala Devi. I work as a laborer in Rajgir Mistri's team.
The incident occurred on August 13,
2020, at 5:30 PM. On that evening, a boy named Ajay, son of Ramu from our
village, went to fetch his cattle. Near the field adjacent to his, there was a
pandit's field, and a man named Teman, also known as Pancham, was in that
field. It seemed like Teman was encroaching on Ajay's space, and an argument
ensued. Teman asked Ajay why he was herding his cattle in that area, referring
to him with a derogatory term. In the midst of this, Ramashray, son of Dharamu
and aged 18, reached the field and struck Ajay with a stick four or five times.
As soon as Ajay was hit, he got agitated and retaliated by hitting Ramashray
with his stick. The argument between them continued in this manner.
At that moment, people from the
Rajbhar Basti, Kurri Basti, and Deenapur villages arrived at the scene with
sticks and clubs. Someone informed them that there was a fight in the field.
When the group reached there, five women and three to four men from Deenapur
village pleaded with folded hands, asking to spare the child, saying that he
was just a child. After some negotiation, everyone went back to their
respective homes, and it seemed like everything was going to be okay. Little
did we know that the people from all three villages were planning something
together.
On the morning of August 14, 2020, at
5:30 AM, the people from these three villages, including Deenapur Harjan Basti,
arrived with lathis, sticks, spears, clubs, swords, and bricks in hand. They
started attacking everyone mercilessly, including women, children, and elderly
people. Those who had mobile phones had them snatched away. Whoever was getting
beaten was folding their hands and begging to be spared, but it was of no use.
People were beating others ruthlessly.
At that time, I was brushing the road
nearby. I saw a house close by, and as soon as I reached in front of it, I
started running towards my home. I thought that those people wouldn't harm us.
There was another man with me, Dharmendra Kumar, and we both tried to reason
with them. However, as we tried to explain, Dharmu Rajbhar attacked Dharmendra
with a spear on his leg, and Ramashray, Dharmu's son, hit me on my head with a
stick. I fell to the ground, and even after we fell, Ramashray, Pankaj, Suraj,
Dharmu, and others continued to beat us with sticks.
I was crying out for help, but it
seemed like no one could hear me. People were beating Rambha relentlessly. When
we fell to the ground, my aunt Kusum and my uncle Panna Lal came to our rescue
and brought us inside our home. They locked the door behind us. However, even
after the door was locked, those people were still hitting the door with
sticks. Some were trying to break in. Some of them were pounding on the door
with all the weapons they had found outside.
I received the most serious injury
from Rambha. I had six stitches on my head. At that time, I couldn't see
anything for about two seconds when I got hit on the head. When I was locked
inside the room, my sister-in-law Didi was calling 100 for help, but there was
no response. So, she called the village head, and he decided to call the
police. The village head said, 'I will call the police immediately' and hung
up.
About an hour after the altercation,
the village head came to our house with the police officer. The police officer,
Ahmed, arrived on a bike, and they also had a 112 emergency vehicle with them.
When the police officer, Ahmed, came, he told us to go to Basani Hospital for a
medical examination. After the medical examination, we returned to the police
station. That's when they started writing the FIR. Nobody was saying anything
when they were filing the FIR. My wound was still fresh, and I was in a
government hospital bed nearby.
After getting treated and taking the FIR copy, we returned home. Even after coming home, we were scared that those people might attack us again. For nearly ten days, we couldn't sleep properly. The fields of the Rajbhar community are adjacent to our home, and whenever I remember this incident, my body gets covered in goosebumps. Since that day, I have not witnessed such a horrifying incident. I never want such an incident to happen again. Those responsible for this incident should face severe legal consequences to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future."
No comments:
Post a Comment