Thaindian News

Patna July 25 (IANS) Country’s apex panel for the Scheduled Castes has summoned top administrative and police officials of Bihar to explain inaction during arson and vandalism at a Dalit hostel in Ara town after the killing of Ranvir Sena chief June 1, officials Wednesday said.

The National Commission for the Scheduled Castes summoned the Bihar chief secretary and the police chief to Delhi and passed strong remarks against the state government.

Commission vice-chairman Raj Kumar Verka after visiting the Dalit hostel at Katira in Ara, district headquarters of Bhojpur, about 60 km from here, said the government should initiate action against officials responsible for inaction.

Hundreds of supporters of slain Ranvir Sena chief Brahmeshwar Singh ‘Mukhiya’ reportedly attacked the Dalit hostel soon after he was gunned down by unidentified criminals.

Verka said it was unbelievable that neither ministers nor officials bothered to visit the Dalit hostel after the attack to assuage the hurt feelings of Dalit students.

“What is alarming that not a single person has been arrested till date in this connection,” Verka said.

Verka said that state government appears to be in no mood to help victims of the Dalit hostel. “The government has turned a blind eye to the woes of Dalits,” he said.

He said that a CD made by Dalit hostel students that was submitted to him, clearly pointed that hostel inmates were locked inside the room, which was set on fire. Outside the room, musclemen were waiting to thrash the inmates trying to escape.

“It was shocking that police instead of providing protection to the hostel inmates, directed them to vacate the hostel as their lives were in danger,” Verka said.

The hostel - reserved exclusively for students from the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes - houses 250 pupils in two four-storey buildings.