Rohru incident sparks debate on caste-based discrimination, untouchability in state

A recent incident of an alleged thrashing and caste-based discrimination of a 12-year-old boy at Limbra village in Shimla district, which reportedly led to the victim consuming a poisonous substance, has brought the practice of untouchability to the fore. The incident has sparked a debate on the ground realities of caste-based discrimination in the state, and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Expressing their outrage, people came out on streets, claiming that despite appropriate laws and the provisions of the constitution, caste-based discrimination had not completely vanished from the state and was still being practiced, mainly in the rural areas.

147 cases under the SC ST (POA) Act

1 As per the records of Himachal Pradesh Police, as many as 147 cases under the SC ST (POA) Act were registered across the state from January 1 to August 31 this year.

2 Out of these 147 cases, the highest were reported in Mandi district.

3 Forty cases were reported within a span of eight months.

4 Sixteen cases were reported in Shimla, 14 cases each in Una and Sirmaur districts, 11 cases each in Bilaspur and Hamirpur districts, eight cases each in Kullu and Nurpur police district, seven cases each in Chamba and Baddi police district, six in Kangra, four in Solan and one case in Dehra police district.

However, some people are questioning the Prevention of Atrocities Act, claiming that the Act is often used as a tool to harass the people coming from general category. In this case too, some people are claiming that the accused woman was framed as she had not used any casteist slurs, or demanded a goat from the parents for purifying her house. They say that she had merely caught the boy while he was allegedly trying to steal something from her shop.

Even as the debate continues to rage, both on streets and social media, there is no denying that several cases under the Act are registered every year across the state. As per the records of Himachal Pradesh Police, as many as 147 cases under the SC ST (POA) Act were registered across the state from January 1 to August 31 this year. Out of these 147 cases, the highest were reported in Mandi district. Forty cases were reported within a span of eight months. Similarly, 16 cases were reported in Shimla, 14 cases each in Una and Sirmaur districts, 11 cases each in Bilaspur and Hamirpur districts, eight cases each in Kullu and Nurpur police district, seven cases each in Chamba and Baddi police district, six in Kangra, four in Solan and one case in Dehra police district.

In 2024 (From January 1 to December 31), the state witnessed 213 cases under the SC ST (POA) Act. This include 42 in Mandi, 27 in Shimla, 22 in Solan, 21 each in Bilaspur and Una, 20 in Hamirpur, 16 in Sirmaur, 14 in Kullu, 10 in Baddi police district, nine in Kangra, six in Chamba, four in Nurpur police district and one in Kinnaur district.

Out of all districts, Lahaul and Spiti tribal district, the largest district by area in the state, reported zero cases under the Act, making the district the only one to have zero cases of caste-based atrocities for two consecutive years.

As per the census of 2011, Himachal Pradesh has a population of over 17 lakh people who belong to Scheduled Caste, while there are over 3.9 lakh Scheduled Tribe population in the state. Records have also revealed that there are around 56 types of schedule castes that are recognised in the state.