Lucknow: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing caste violence in Saharanpur has given a clean chit to the eight accused who happened to be Thakurs. The eight had been arrested for allegedly attacking three Dalits on May 23. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati slammed the move, saying once again, it proved the anti-Dalit mentality of the BJP.
The SIT moved an application before a local court two days ago seeking their release, saying that they were found innocent during the investigation. Saharanpur SSP Babloo Kumar said, “During investigation, we found that the eight accused were falsely named in the FIR lodged on various charges including attempt to murder. We had moved an application in the court under section 169 CrPC and requested their release. The court has accepted the application and has also allowed the release”. Seventeen persons were arrested and sent to jail during a series of clashes in Saharanpur between Thakurs and Dalits last month, of which eight belonged to the Thakur community. With the SIT giving them a clean chit, it is only the Dalit youths, including Bhim army chief Chandra Shekhar and Shiv Kumar (the village head of Shabbirpur village where the clashes took place) that are in jail now. The SIT has been verifying claims of over 100 affidavits that families of other accused have filed in cases related to the violence.
