Fearing security withdrawal, Mirchpur Dalits in exit mode

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, June 30

Mirchpur  Dalits continue to live in fear. On Tuesday. fearing  withdrawal of paramilitary forces from the village, nearly 20 Dalit families left their homes for Tanwar farmhouse. Nearly 25 families have been camping at the farmhouse for four years.

The village had witnessed caste violence about five years ago. Two Dalits — an elderly man and his teenage daughter — were burnt by upper-caste Jats following a clash.

“The families, travelling in three vehicles, have taken their valuables and other household items with them. Some of them are walking on foot,” Birbhan Kumar told The Tribune. 

He further said Dalits learnt that the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was ready to leave the village by tomorrow morning (Wednesday). “We cannot stay in the village without the security cover, as we fear attack from Jats. We were told the Rapid Action Force (RAF) of the Haryana Police will replace the CRPF. We went to a police post in the village, but got no assurance.”

Anil Kumar Rao, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Hisar range, said the CRPF was still deployed in the village. “There has been no order to withdraw the CRPF from Mirchpur. A final decision will be taken tomorrow,” he said.

The district administration had recently formed a village-level committee, a vigilance committee and a district committee to keep tabs on the situation in Mirchpur. 

A member of a peace committee, Chander Prakash, claimed the situation was normal in Mirchpur since the 2010 violence. “Dalits have started their lives anew. They have been working in the fields of Jats.”

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) PK Mahapatra called a meeting of all Deputy Commissioners today in Chandigarh regarding the implementation of safety measures of Dalits, in general, and on the Mirchpur issue, in general. Hisar DC Chander Shekhar Khare apprised Mahapatra about the situation in the village.