This type of sordid tale keeps repeating every so often. This time there is difference, the victims happened to be higher caste (brahmins).
Many netters who think that victims are always the low caste may want to think twice. Though caste may play a role in such incidents, the bigger role is the lack of education and tolerance across castes and religions. All said and done, this is a darn shame. ______________________________ SURAT: Four women of a family were beaten up and allegedly molested and then paraded across the village halfnaked by villagers at Gunsvel in Bardoli taluka of Surat district. All this for a piece of disputed land which Manohar Ramanandi, a priest, and his family members refused to vacate. The incident occurred on the eve of Janmashtami when about 40 people entered the house of the priest and beat up the women. The priest's wife Meeru Ramanandi (45), their daughters Preeti (16) and Meera Shah (25) and sixyear-old son Parth Shah and another woman, a relative, were present in the house when the incident occurred. Social worker Geeta Shroff said, "The accused disconnected the electricity supply and then entered the house and sexually molested the women and girls inside." The villagers alleged that the family had stolen some valuables from the temple and wanted the priest to relinquish work. The victims later managed to call up their relative, who informed Shroff about the treatment meted out to the Ramanandi family. The police did not lodge a complaint and insisted on wrapping up the case after mutual understanding between the two parties, she alleged. When contacted, deputy superintendent of police P V Vyas said, "I am not aware of any such incident," Shroff alleged. "Even the police are trying to dispose the case as they are afraid of taking on the villagers," she added. "We will take this up with the State Human Rights Commission and will not rest till justice is done to the victims,'' she said. _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
