Rajasthan Dalit Woman Raped And Burned: Need To Curb Crimes Against Dalit Women

A 30-year-old woman was raped and set on fire by a man in Rajasthan’s Barmer district. The woman, who is a mother of two, suffered 40–50% of the burns. She succumbed to her injuries and died on Friday night while undergoing treatment. She was initially admitted to a government hospital in Balmore and was later shifted to a higher medical institution in Jodhpur.

The accused is identified as Shakur Khan, a resident of the same village. On Thursday, when the woman was alone at home after her husband had left for work and children to school, Khan broke into her house and raped her. The neighbours were alerted upon hearing her scream. Before they could intervene, Khan poured acid-like chemical and set her on fire before fleeing from the scene.

"The accused is currently absconding, and the police are on the lookout for him," said Nitesh Arya, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Barmer. The police could not get a statement from the woman as she is not in a condition to talk.

Rajasthan Dalit Woman Raped And Burned

Police initially registered a case under Sections 376 (punishment for rape), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), and 450 (house trespass to commit an offence punishable with imprisonment for life) under the Indian Penal Code and other sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Following the woman's death, ASP Arya confirmed that section 302 (punishment of murder) of the IPC was also added to the FIR.

Why are Dalit women more likely to fall prey to such heinous crimes despite numerous laws protecting minority communities? What gives men the audacity to commit such gruesome crimes against Dalit women?

The National Coalition for Strengthening SCs and STs Act, after analysing the annual report of crime in India by the National Crime Records Bureau in 2021, noted that the "sufferings of Dalits and Adivasi communities across India remained the worst." Violence against women in the SC community was 16.8% and 26.8% in ST women. However, the conviction percentage remained at 36% for SCs and 28% for STs. The report also stated that 96% of the cases of violence against SC and ST communities were awaiting trial despite the amendments made to the law to help Dalits access speedy justice.

Last month, a special court order in the Hathras gangrape case convicted one accused of "culpable homicide" (without the intent of murder) while acquitting the other three accused of all charges. For the unversed, a 19-year-old Dalit girl was brutally raped and killed by upper-caste men in 2020. The case stirred nationwide outrage for it was stated that the police had cremated the girl's body without the family’s consent. Despite the protest, justice was denied to the deceased and her family.

If the law is failing women in delivering justice, what will instil fear in perpetrators? What will hold them back from committing such ghastly crimes against Dalit women? Dalit women are attacked not just because they are women but because they belong to a particular community. This is not just a problem of crimes against women but a social problem that needs to be addressed. We’re in 2023 and still coming across cases of caste-based violence and discrimination.

What are we going to do as a society to prevent the injustice done to a community of women? We need to work towards smashing down the invisible caste hierarchy that is still prevalent in our society. We need to speak out against the discrimination and violence against Dalits, especially women, not just when a horrific crime happens but until the internalised casteist mindset is completely eradicated. We need to collectively work towards ensuring that no woman suffers because of patriarchy and casteism.

While women in general are targeted by predators, those of us who are relatively more privileged than Dalit women have the resources and opportunity to speak up. If we don't stand up for our fellow women, who will?

Suggested Reading: Hathras Gangrape Verdict: When Will Women Gain Freedom From Brahmanical Patriarchy?

Views expressed by the author are their own