Saran (Bihar): A Dalit woman named Phulmati Devi (43) was beaten to death in village Ruparhimpur in Saran district of Bihar on 23 June 2007.

Devi was murdered by two upper caste men named Dharmendra Tiwari and Guddu Tiwari for resisting the forcible harvesting of her field. Her son Bablu was also roughed up and seriously injured.

Phulmati's husband Bhagwan Chandra Paswan said her only crime was she dared to oppose the upper caste people. "Dharmendra Tiwari and Guddu Tiwari were forcibly harvesting our crops from the field for years. But this time we decided to resist their move; but it cost the life of my wife," Chandra Paswan said.

"The accusers attacked me first for opposing them," Bablu, son of Phulmati and Paswan said. "When my mother intervened to save me and resist them, they turned to her and beat her to death," he added.

A police complaint has been filed against the Tiwaris but none of them have been arrested so far. Police officials say the two are absconding. This is just one of the many incidents where Dalits have been victimised by upper caste people in Bihar.

Last month, a Dalit woman Kari Devi (45) was beaten to death by a former 'mukhiya' (panchayat head) and his kin in Gaya district of Bihar on the suspicion of having stolen a cow.

A tribal, Jeevan Munda (35) allegedly beaten to death in Hazaribagh district in Jharkhand on 15 June 2007 by forest guards for a wooden cot that he had brought home. A few months ago, an upper caste man in Bhagalpur district chopped off the fingers of a 10 year old Dalit girl because she had plucked spinach from his field.

Rev Paul Ciniraj, condemned the attacks on Dalits and minorities. He appealed to the the central and state governments to take immediate action to stop persecution of Dalits, Christians and other minorities.

"Many are murdered and seriously injured; but governments do not take serious actions. That is the reason for increasing persecutions," Paul Ciniraj added.

(Source: Salem Voice dated 26 June 2007)