Ramdas Athawale meets murdered Dalit youth's dad

Mumbai: The minister of state (MoS) for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale on Sunday met Raju Aage, the father of Dalit youth Nitin Aage who was murdered in April 2014 in Kharde village of Ahmednagar over a purported love affair with an upper caste girl.

During this meet, the minister assured Aage of Rs 1 lakh financial help and also said that he would request Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to provide security cover to the family. He also said that the killers should be given capital punishment.

Raju Aage visited the Republican Party of India (A) leader Athawale’s residence Savindhan Bungalow in Bandra and requested him to get justice for his son. He also told him that there is a threat to his family in Kharde and hence family should not only be provided with police security but also given arms licence.

Mr Athawale expressed his anguish over the acquittal of accused. He also said that all those witnesses who turned hostile in the court should also be punished. He also said that the government would appeal against the acquittal in the higher court.

The minister said that all the followers of Dr Ambedkar had demanded death penalty and had appreciated capital punishment awarded to the convicts who had raped and killed an innocent girl in Ahmedabad. “However, in Aage’s case, all accused have been acquitted, and this has sent out a wrong message,” added Mr Athawale.

On April 24, 2014, a group had attacked Aage at his school. The police had booked 13 villagers in the murder case. Three of the accused were juvenile, and one of them died during the trial. A total ten accused faced the trial in the sessions court, but all of them were acquitted in November.