NEW DELHI: A petition was filed before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) over the failure of the government officials in Odisha to protect Dalit families.
Supreme Court advocate and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy also filed a petition before the National Commission for Scheduled Castes.
The state officials are totally neglecting the lives of hundreds of poor Dalits belonging to Lathore area of Bolangir district in the state. The inaction of the Odisha police and that of the Fire Services Department was pointed out when people belonging to upper caste community set on fire 50 huts of the Dalits.
The women and children were threatened and thrown out of the area. The fear-stricken Dalits are lying on roads without food in severe winter, Tripathy alleged.
The arson followed a clash between two Dalit youths and as many youths of an upper caste family over an incident of theft in a cloth store allegedly by a Dalit boy on January 22.