Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | In Mirchpur, scars remain but hope floats by Ruhi Bhasin

In Mirchpur, scars remain but hope floats by Ruhi Bhasin

Share this article Share this article
published Published on Sep 26, 2011   modified Modified on Sep 26, 2011

A new house bearing Tara Chand’s name awaits to be occupied by his family. The house was constructed by the government around four months ago, claim members of the Balmiki community in Mirchpur, Haryana. Tara Chand and his physically challenged daughter were burnt alive in April last year during a clash between the Balmiki and Jat communities. His wife and three sons moved to Hisar.

On Sunday, the only telling signs of the incident was heavy police and CRPF presence at every step, which had been increased over the weekend with the court announcing its judgment in the case on Saturday.

The court has cleared all the 97 accused of murder and criminal conspiracy. While 82 were acquitted of all charges, 15 were held guilty under the IPC and SC/ ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for committing criminal acts, including unlawful assembly, mischief, damaging properties. Out of the 15, three have been convicted under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) for setting ablaze Tara Chand’s house. On Sunday, around 80 returned home. They did not venture out, but claimed to have put the incident behind them.

Sitting on a charpoi outside the Balmiki part of the village, Sanjay Kumar recalled how the clash between the two communities began over a fight about a dog barking at Jat boys on April 19. “They beat up the dog. Over the next two days the issue escalated and a few houses were burnt in our part of the village. Since then we have been living in fear. The police presence is the only reason that I am staying on in Mirchpur. Many families, including Tara Chand’s, moved to Hisar. The Jats have stopped employing us. We don’t know where to go in search of a job,’’ he said.

While Kumar and the younger generation claim that “there might be another surge of violence” once the police leave the place, the older generation disagrees. “There is no tension here. The issue has been long forgotten. The government provides us with wheat every few months. Tara Chand’s wife was compensated and his sons got good jobs in Hisar,” said Ram Pehlwa Sajna, who is a member of the panchayat. “The CRPF officials should be at our borders protecting our nation, not us. What happened in April was an isolated incident,” said Sajna.

Most Jats don’t want to talk about the incident. Dharamveer, who returned home after the court decision on Saturday, was busy seeking the blessings of his elders. “I have no ill-feelings towards any community. The Jat and the Balmikis will continue to co-exist peacefully,” he said.

There are around 150 personnel of the Haryana Police in the village. A CRPF official said that around 50 of them were stationed in Mirchpur on rotation basis after a “demand from the Balmiki community”. “We don’t know how long we will have to stay here,” he said.

The Indian Express, 26 September, 2011, http://www.indianexpress.com/news/In-Mirchpur--scars-remain-but-hope-floats/851674/


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close