HYDERABAD: Ascaste atrocities continue to rise across the State, delayed compensation to the victims is only exacerbating their suffering. In Hyderabad district, as many as 191 victims of caste atrocities are yet to receive their compensation, reportedly due to lack of coordination between the police and revenue departments.
According to procedures, when the police investigates a case of atrocity against SC/ST community members, the revenue department needs to verify the victim’s caste and issue certificates. Speaking to Express, an assistant commissioner of police, who recently investigated the rape of a Dalit woman said that the filing of a chargesheet was delayed due to delay in the caste certificate.
“There is no coordination between the police and revenue departments which is the main cause of the delays in receiving compensations,” opined K Ramulu, member, National Commission for Scheduled Castes.As per the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the State government should provide both relief and rehabilitation to the victims.
Collectors, in their capacity as district magistrates, are authorised to immediately withdraw money from State treasury for the same. However, the amounts are to be released in three phases. The first 25 per cent of the relief amount should be released within seven days of filing an FIR, next 50 per cent after filing of the charge sheet. The remaining 25 per cent is to be credited only if the accused is convicted. The percentages vary depending on the nature of cases.
An official with the district revenue department, on the condition of anonymity, said that the department has disbursed funds in 271 cases out of 462 cases. He further added that 91 cases were pending as the victims did not provide their account details, and in 90 cases the investigation authority, Assistant Commissioner of Police, did not file a chargesheet.
As per the statistics available with Telangana police, 137 cases of atrocities against members of SC/ST communities were registered under various sections of the IPC, in Hyderabad district in 2016. There has been a 16 per cent increase in crimes against SC/STs from the previous year.