Jaipur: The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Rajasthan, Friday urged the state govt and Central Bureau of Investigation to challenge the acquittal of all accused in the 2015 Dangawas Dalit killings case before the Rajasthan High Court, describing the verdict as a setback in the fight against caste violence.In a statement issued Friday, two days after a special court in Merta acquitted all 40 accused, PUCL termed the Dangawas incident in Nagaur district “one of the most horrific instances of collective violence against Dalits in Rajasthan’s history.”The organisation said the case involved allegations that members of the Meghwal community were attacked during a land dispute, with houses allegedly demolished and set on fire, women assaulted, casteist abuses hurled and five people killed. The accused were tried under the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.PUCL national president Kavita Srivastava said the acquittal, despite a CBI investigation and evidence presented before the court, raises “serious questions” about the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. “It sends a disturbing message that justice remains difficult to secure in cases of organised caste violence,” she said.Noted Dalit thinker Bhanwar Meghwanshi said judicial verdicts can be questioned through constitutional processes and victims have the right to seek relief before higher courts. “The state govt and the CBI to immediately review the judgement and file an appeal in the High Court. The organisation also demanded legal assistance, protection and rehabilitation for the victims’ families,” Meghwanshi said.
