Justice
Justice
Three Convicts Sentenced to Death in Dalit Massacre Case
In a significant judgment, a court has sentenced three convicts to death in the case of the mass killing of 24 Dalits that occurred on November 18, 1981, in the village of Dihuli under Jasrana Tehsil, Firozabad district, Uttar Pradesh. Along with the death penalty, fines were also imposed— two convicts were fined ₹ 2 lakh each, and one convict ₹ 1 lakh.
Additional District Judge( Special Dacoity Court), Mainpuri, Indira Singh, delivered the verdict after hearing all arguments presented by the defense. Following the judgment, the three convicts— Rampal, Ramsevak, and Captain Singh— were placed in the Mainpuri district jail. They still have the right to appeal the verdict in the High Court within 30 days.
The horrifying massacre took place in Dihuli village( then part of Mainpuri district), under Jasrana police station. On the evening of November 18, 1981, dacoit gangs led by Santosh and Radhe stormed the village with weapons and opened fire on Dalit men, women, and children in retaliation for witness testimonies in a legal case. The brutal attack resulted in the deaths of 24 individuals. Following the killings, the gang also looted the village.
A police report was filed the next day, November 19, 1981, by Laxik Singh
of Dihuli village at Jasrana police station. The FIR named Radhe Shyam alias Radhe, Santosh Singh alias Santosha, and 20 others. Over the years, the case moved between the courts of Mainpuri and Allahabad. It was sent back to Mainpuri on October 19, 2024, for further hearings, where it was taken up by the Special Dacoity Court.
The accused in the massacre included Santosh alias Santosha and Radhe( gang leaders), and members Kamruddin, Shyamveer, Kunwarpal, Raje alias Rajendra, Bhura, Pramod Rana, Malkhan Singh, Ravindra Singh, Yudhishthir( son of Durgpal Singh), Yudhishthir( son of Manshi Singh), Pancham( son of Manshi Singh), Laxmi, Indal, Rukhan, Gyanchandra alias Ginna, Captain Singh, Ramsevak, and Rampal. Except for Laxmi, Indal, Rukhan, Gyanchandra alias Ginna, Captain Singh, Ramsevak, and Rampal, all others have died, and their death reports have been submitted to the court. Laxmi, Indal, Rukhan, and Gyanchandra are still absconding.
The 24 Dalits killed in the massacre included: Jwala Prasad, Ramprasad, Ramdulari, Shringarwati, Shanti, Rajendri, Rajesh, Ramsevak, Shivdayal, Munesh, Bharat Singh, Dataram, Asha Devi, Lalaram, Geetam, Liladhar, Manikchandra, Bhure, Kum. Sheela, Mukesh, Dhandebi, Ganga Singh, Gajadhar, and Preetam Singh.
According to the prosecution, the court found the accused guilty under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code 302( Murder), 307( Attempt to murder), 216( Harboring an offender), 120B( Criminal conspiracy), 449 & 450( House-trespass for committing a crime).
Police reports reveal that most of the accused belonged to upper castes. The trigger for the massacre was reportedly a personal conflict— Kunwarpal, a member of the Dalit community, was in a relationship with an upper-caste woman. This enmity eventually escalated into the mass killing of Dalits.
At the time of the incident, Vishwanath Pratap Singh was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi also visited Dihuli village in the aftermath of the massacre. �
April 2025 | Dalit Andolan Patrika 37