Mirchpur verdict: 10 convicts still at large
Delhi high court had on August 24 turned down the acquittal of 20 people accused in the case
HISAR : The Hansi police are still struggling to nab at least 10 accused, who were among those awarded life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court in an overturned judgment in the 2010 Mirchpur case on August 24.
A 70-year-old man and his 18-year-old physically challenged daughter were burnt alive allegedly by a mob of over 100 people belonging to the Jat community at Mirchpur village of Hisar district in 2010.
Hansi superintendent of police (SP) Virender Vij says teams are working round-theclock to arrest the remaining accused.
“We have already installed CCTV cameras at different spots and deployed a platoon of Haryana Police. The team has got vital clues about the whereabouts of the 10 accused, who had fled from the village, and they will be arrested soon,” he says.
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“The court will hear the case on October 5 (Friday),” Vij adds.
Mirchpur police post in-charge Ranbir Singh says, “The Delhi High Court announced life imprisonment to 12 accused of whom, two are already in jail and 10 are absconding. Police have arrested eight people, who got one-year term, but were released on under-gone basis of whom, one is still at large. 12 people were awarded two-year term, of whom one is already in jail in another case. 10 people are in custody and one is absconding. We are working 24x7 to arrest the remaining convicts.”
As per sources, some of Dalit families have sent their children out of Mirchpur in a bid to avoid any kind of tension in the village.
Hansi SP Vij says, “No one will be allowed to breach the lawand-order
situation in the village. Police are keeping strict vigil.”
The Delhi High Court had on August 24 convicted 20 people and upheld the conviction of 13 others, all from the Jat community, for atrocities committed against Dalits over barking of a dog on April 21, 2010.
The Jats of the village had ransacked settlements of the Dalits and set many houses ablaze, killing a 70-year-old man, Tara Chand, and his physically challenged daughter.
The incident had sparked a nation wide protest. Several Dalit families had fled from the village and taken shelter in Hisar at a farmhouse of Dalit leader Vedpal Tanwar.
A key witness in the case, Satyawan Singh, says the victims, who are staying in tents at the Tanwar’s farmhouse, had welcomed the high court decision.
“But the police have so far failed to arrest those who were sentenced to life imprisonment, which is a key factor of our fear. Though they have been given security by police, many families are still apprehensive,” Satyawan adds.
On the announcement by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of providing land to the victims, Satyawan says the land should be given as soon as possible without any hassles and with proper facilities.
“We also demand government jobs to make ends meet,” he adds.