In a landmark verdict, a Gujarat court convicts five individuals in the 2016 Una flogging case, where Dalit men were brutally attacked for skinning a cow carcass, a case that ignited nationwide protests against caste discrimination and cow vigilantism.
Key Points
- A special court in Gujarat convicted five individuals in the 2016 Una flogging case, where Dalit men were assaulted for skinning a cow carcass.
- The convicted individuals face charges under the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
- The 2016 Una flogging incident sparked widespread protests against cow vigilantism and caste-based discrimination across India.
- The court examined approximately 260 witnesses during the trial, highlighting the extensive investigation into the case.
- While five were convicted, 35 others were acquitted, and the case against a deceased policeman was abated, indicating the complexities of the legal proceedings.
A special court in Veraval in Gujarat's Gir Somnath district on Monday convicted five persons and acquitted 35 others in the 2016 Una flogging case, in which four Dalit men were thrashed when they were trying to skin the carcass of a cow, triggering massive protests across the country at the time.
The court of special SC/ST atrocities cases and additional district and sessions judge JJ Pandya convicted five accused and acquitted 35 others, while the case against a policeman was abated as he died during the pendency of the trial, district government lawyer Ketansinh Vala said, adding the court reserved its order of sentencing for Tuesday.
The five accused were convicted under sections 323 (causing simple hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 504 (intentional insult) of Indian Penal Code, as well as sections 3 (1)(D) and 3 (1)(E)(R)(S)(U) of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, he said.
The court did not convict them under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder), 397 (robbery), 365 (kidnapping), 147 (rioting), 355 (assault to dishonour a person), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy), he added.
Those convicted in the case are Ramesh Jadhav, Rakesh Joshi, Nagji Vaniya, Pramodgiri Goswami, and Balwatgiri Goswami, while judgment against a juvenile is pending, Vala said. The court examined around 260 witnesses during the course of trial, he said.
Details of the Una Flogging Incident
The incident occurred at Mota Samadhiyala village near Una town of Gir-Somnath district on July 11, 2016 when four Dalit youths, as part of their traditional profession, were skinning the carcass of a cow that had died earlier in some other village.
The accused, self-proclaimed cow vigilantes, flogged the youths, who were then illegally put in the lockup and thrashed by police personnel as well. It was alleged that the four Dalits were thrashed for almost 4-5 hours. Police allegedly connived with the perpetrators and forged some FIR related documents to help them.
Villagers from nearby areas had attempted to rescue the Dalit youths, but were threatened by the accused. The villagers then called police control rooms in Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad.
The accused were also charged under sections 66A and 66B of Information Technology Act for allegedly making and circulating video clips of the incident.
Aftermath and Protests
The incident caused widespread unrest against cow vigilantes after the videos of the flogging went viral. Protests were held in various parts of Gujarat and the country.
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