Atrocities against SC, STs a harsh reality in Telangana

HYDERABAD: Believe it or not, on an average three SC/ST persons are falling prey to atrocities daily, in the State. As per available data, the government paid Rs 81.46 crore compensation to 8,818 victims of atrocities from June, 2014 to till date. It shows that caste discrimination is still prevalent across the State. This is one of the reasons the TRS government has decided to take up social awareness programmes.

“Besides giving Rs 10 lakh to SCs, the government is also contemplating ways to enhance the social status of SCs and STs. The recent all-party meeting, with the representatives of SCs and STs, held by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao discussed the same,” an official told Express.

According to the data provided at the all-party meeting, the government paid compensation to over 6,000 SCs and over 2,200 STs, who were victims of atrocities, in the last seven years. According to police sources, any case registered under charges of Prevention of Atrocities Against SC & STs, has to be immediately entrusted to an ACP or Dy SP concerned.

The investigation in the case has to be completed and chargesheet has to be filed in 60 days from the date of the FIR. But in most cases, it is delayed. The investigation involves collecting caste certificates of the victim and the accused parties, medical records if any and other related information. The documents take a long time, delaying investigations, sources said. Further, during the trial in the court, several victims turn hostile, resulting in the accused being acquitted. The conviction rate in these cases is only 10%, the sources added.