A dispute over placards during a village festival in Karnataka’s Yadgir district, which turned into a caste-based murder more than a decade ago, came to an end on Thursday, with the Sessions Court convicting 20 people in the 2014 murder of Dalit leader Devendraappa Bhimappa Dallapati, sentencing 17 of them to life imprisonment.
The court found that the prosecution proved the case through eyewitness testimony, medical evidence, and material objects found during the investigation. One of the defendants was sentenced to seven years in prison, while two others were sentenced to six months in prison. The court also imposed a collective fine of $ $4.25 lakh, directing it to pay it to the legal heirs of the victim, and advising the family to seek additional compensation through the District Legal Services Authority.
According to investigators, the violence began during the annual Sri Chudeshwari Devi Jatra Mahotsava celebration in Kanyakulur village on January 15, 2014, when banners displaying pictures of leaders from the Scheduled Castes and upper caste communities were torn down.
“The incident dates back to January 15, 2014. As in previous years, the annual Sri Chudeshwari Devi Jatra Mahotsava was being held at Kanyakulur village under Shahapur police station limits,” said Pruthvik Shankar, Superintendent of Police, Yadgir.
“During the festival, tensions erupted between members of the Scheduled Caste community and members of the upper caste community. The reason: cuttings and banners carrying pictures of their community leaders were torn down.”
The dispute continued the next day before turning into violence on January 17. “What started as a dispute over symbols and banners will turn within 48 hours into a brutal murder,” the police superintendent said.
The villagers gathered near the Anjaneya temple to resolve the dispute while a group of accused gathered nearby, police said. The encounter later turned near the old Gram Panchayat building, where Devendrabha along with other villagers went for talks.
Lead public prosecutor Gurulingappa Shrimant Teli said the discussions soon turned violent after the accused allegedly abused Devendrappa using casteist insults. “The accused allegedly hurled caste-based abuse at Devendrabha and accused him of interfering in all matters,” Teli said.
According to the prosecution, Devendrabha ran towards the Friday mosque in an attempt to escape. Tilly added, “The defendants chased him, armed with axes, clubs, and stones. With the intention of killing him, they threw him to the ground and assaulted him repeatedly.”
He suffered multiple injuries to his head, stomach, shoulders, knees, back and feet, court records showed. His left arm was twisted, and according to the prosecution, he was dragged by his legs after the assault. The prosecution also told the court that when he asked for water, he was abused again. A person who tried to save him was hit with a baton and injured. Devendrappa died at the scene.
Following the attack, Shahapur police registered a case and later filed a chargesheet against 32 accused under provisions relating to unlawful assembly, rioting, murder, attempt to murder, intentional insult and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
During the trial, the prosecution cited 68 witnesses, 37 of whom testified before the court. The defense argued that several defendants were wrongly implicated due to village rivalry, but the court rejected those defenses.
“The court accepted all the arguments put forward by the prosecution. Thirty-seven witnesses were examined and the medical evidence supported our case of murder with common intent. The fine amount will now go to the victim’s family and we have also suggested that they apply for compensation from the DLSA,” Tilley said.
