Saalwan (Karnal), March 3
A compromise was reached here between Dalits and landlords of the village after it was decided that people from both communities would go to a hospital in Karnal to receive the body of a Dalit youth, who was found dead on the doorstep of his house, and attend his cremation. Karnal deputy commissioner B.S. Malik said people from both communities decided late this evening that keeping in view the recent incidents, Holi would not be celebrated at the village this year.

The Dalit youth was found dead under suspicious circumstances while the house of a widow was also damaged in a fire early today. This despite the fact that a heavy police force was deployed at the village since Thursday when houses of Dalits were ransacked allegedly by landlords to avenge the killing of Mahipal.

The Dalit youth, Sonu (21), alias Gurra, was the nephew of Leelu, an accused in the murder of Mahipal. Terming it an accidental death, Karnal SP Sibash Kaviraj said the victim was drunk and died due to suffocation after he fell into a drain at his home.

Earlier, refuting the claims of the police, the Dalits claimed it was murder and demanded the arrest of suspects.

Denying the allegations, landlords of the village also demanded a probe by the CBI into the incidents, alleging that the Dalits themselves were behind the arson. A panchayat of landlords convened by Rakam Singh, a former sarpanch, passed a resolution demanding the arrest of those accused in the murder case of Mahipal and gave an ultimatum to the administration on it.

However B. S. Malik, Deputy Commissioner, said a total of 73 families had been compensated for damages to their homes during arson and ransacking on Thursday. In addition, a sum of Rs 5,000 was given to every family under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act.

Meanwhile, the police has identified 11 persons involved in the arson on Thursday and arrested five of them, including Sandeep, Dushyant, Sonu, Charan Singh and Sanju.