In a brutal killing that occurred on November 18, 1981, dacoits who belonged to the upper class attacked the Dalits of the village killing 24 innocent people, mostly women and children. After a long wait of four decades, a special court in Mainpuri gave a death sentence to the three men accused of the killings– Ram Sevak, Kaptan Singh, and Rampal.
The victims of the massacre who live to see this day remember the massacre and express sighs of prayer after their fight finally comes to a close. The efforts of Banwari and Bhoop Singh who continued the struggle were lauded.
Amrit Lal, who lost several family members on an ill-fated day, says, “Hearing gunshots, we moved towards an open area outside the village and found all lost when we returned. Since then, we have lived under fear…but the judgement today has brought us justice,”
Jai Devi who lost her husband laments, “Those who managed to flee the village were saved, but others caught by attackers got no chance to survive. I lost my husband, Jwala Prasad, amongst four family members killed that day,”
Chameli Devi who fractured her legs in an attempt to run, remembers the horrifying incident when she was forced to drink from the drain and lay there after one of the 17 dacoits shot her husband.
The villagers said that they lost patience several times in their fight for justice but the verdict was a reward for their fights. It’s a heart-warming story of courage and heroic action in fighting against the barriers of caste that persist in the country.
