HISAR: A day after the Delhi high court convicted 20 persons, increased punishment of nine others to life term and dismissed the appeal of 15 accused in the 2010
Dalit killing case in Mirchpur village of
Hisar district, witnesses of the caste violence incident didn't go to work fearing backlash of the verdict.
Two police companies were deployed in Mirchpur following the Delhi high court judgment. Cops were also stationed at Tanwar farm house where some Dalit families of Mirchpur have been staying after the 2010 violence in which a 60-year-old man and his physically challenged 17-year-old daughter were killed.
The witnesses have accused the Hisar superintendent of police (SP) of not providing them security despite the order of
Haryana DGP on August 21. There were three witnesses in Mirchpur and five at Tanwar farmhouse without security cover.
Sanjay, who was a witness in the case and worked as a sanitation worker in Mirchpur, said after the high court judgment, he did not go to work on Saturday out of fear. He added that some other witnesses had also not gone out to work.
Satyawan, who had also testified in the case, said those staying at Tanwar farmhouse didn't have the courage to step out on Saturday due to fear of being targeted after the court verdict.
He added that in view of the impending verdict, he had met Haryana DGP B S Sandhu on August 21 and demanded security for eight witnesses, whose security was allegedly withdrawn without any concrete reason. Satyawan alleged the DGP had ordered the Hisar SP to provide security cover to the witnesses, but his directions were not implemented. He said on Saturday he again spoke to the DGP, who assured to give them security after getting in touch with the Hisar range inspector general of police (IGP).
Most of the witnesses have not stepped out of their houses since the verdict due to fear of being targeted
