Dalit nurse dies by suicide in Jodhpur after alleged caste-based assault
Jodhpur — A 26-year-old Dalit nurse died by suicide on May 2, reportedly after being assaulted and harassed by her upper-caste neighbours in a caste-related incident in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur district. The incident has triggered widespread protests demanding justice.
According to the victim’s family, the violence broke out on April 30 after a few drops of water from their courtyard cleaning fell on a neighbouring car. This minor issue allegedly led to a violent and casteist attack by Shankar Lal Bishnoi, his wife, and their sons, Rajendra alias Raj and Vikas alias Vicky. The nurse, along with her mother and younger brother, was allegedly beaten during the attack.
The family claims that the attackers scratched the victim on her chest and face, humiliating her and targeting her caste identity.
In a suicide note left behind by the victim, she clearly named the accused and described the assault as caste-driven. “They scratched my chest, insulted my dignity. I don’t want a life filled with casteism and people’s filthy gazes,” the note read.
The letter also pointed to police negligence. The family said they waited for over nine hours at the Mata Ka Than police station, but only minor charges were filed against the accused, who were released soon after. The note mentioned the name of the Station House Officer (SHO) Bhanwar Singh Jakhad and local councillor Jani Devi. The nurse alleged that the SHO told them, “Nothing will happen to them,” and the councillor claimed the accused had “high-level connections.”
In her final words, the nurse wrote: “No one stood by me. Not the police. Not the system. Not even my own.”
The incident has led to angry protests in the area. Demonstrators gathered outside the police station and blocked Bhadwasiya Road, demanding the immediate arrest of the accused and the suspension of the SHO. The protesters have refused to allow the post-mortem of the victim until their demands are met.
Following the protests and public outrage, the police have now registered a case of abetment to suicide against the four accused.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the state’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416.)
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
