Demanding capital punishment for the accused in an attempt to rape and murder of a girl in Yadgir district, members of the Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (Ambedkar Vaada) took out a protest rally and staged a demonstration in Dharwad on Tuesday.
The protesters marched to the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Dharwad, where they staged a demonstration. They also submitted a memorandum to the district authorities.
The protesters said that rape and domestic violence against minors and women continued unabated and that they were worried about sending their daughters out of their homes in fear of such incidents. Although new laws have been enacted to protect the rights of women, there is a need for more stringent laws, they said. They said that it was shocking that when a girl belonging to a Dalit community resisted a rape attempt, the attackers poured petrol over her and set her on fire. The accused who committed this ghastly act should not be spared, they said.
Leading the protest, Lakshman Dodmani and others said that atrocities against Dalits continued unabated. The government should trace all those involved in the heinous crime and the case should be heard by a fast-track court and capital punishment should be given to all the accused, they said.
Members of Jaya Karnataka were part of the agitation. The protesters sought adequate protection for the family members of the victim and also suitable compensation.
