On May 15, 2015, over 200 members from Jat Community attacked and killed six persons including five Dalits over a land dispute in Dangawas village in Rajasthan's Nagaur district. After the intervention of NGOs, civil society and political parties, the issue came to spotlight that year. The land conflict was over 3.77 hectares of land in Dangawas. According to a report in Frontline, the descendants of a Jat family had claimed that the land was sold by a Dalit resident to a Jat resident in 1964. But, according to Section 42 of the 1955 Rajasthan Tenancy Act, property owned by a member of a Scheduled Caste (SC) community cannot be transferred or sold to a person from any other community, including Scheduled Tribes (ST). According to the Dalit family, they had borrowed Rs 1500 from the Jat family nearly 40 years ago by giving land cultivating rights to them. After 20 years, when their family members returned the money back, the Jat family refused to return land. Later, the matter reached a local Court where it remained pending, mainly due to discrepancies in land records. In May 2015, Ratnakar Meghwal, who was killed in the violence, had constructed a dwelling on the piece of land. According to media reports, members of Jat community from the village attacked the Dalit family with arms, sticks, sharpedged weapons. Dalit Women were molested, men were severely beaten. Members of Jat community filmed the entire incident and circulated the video on social media. Considering the gravity of the matter, Rajasthan government handed over the matter to CID and later the case was referred to CBI for investigation. Later CBI filed a chargesheet against 34 accused and arrested 17 of the accused. In January 2018, the trial of the SC/ST atrocity case against the accused began at a court in Nagaur's Merta.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand to access owned land
Region Classification
Rural
Type of Land
Private
Type of Common Land
Non-Forest (Grazing Land)
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Other, Land Reform Laws
Legislations/Policies Involved
Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955
Section 42 (placing restrictions on transfers of land by persons belonging to SC/STs)
The Indian Penal Code, 1860
Sections 146-149: Rioting with a deadly weapon in an unlawful assembly; Sections 302, 307: Murder and attempt to murder; Section 322-326: Voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon.
The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
Section 3(1)(f): Prohibits wrongful occupation or cultivation of land in the possession of or allotted to a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe; Section 3(1)(g): Prohibits wrongful dispossession of land of a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe or interference with their rights over the land; Section 3(2)(v): Anyone who commits an offence under the IPC that is punishable with imprisonment for 10 years or more against a member of an SC or ST may be punished with imprisonment for life and fine.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
Yes
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community? What was the decision of the concerned government department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Land-record discrepancies , Forced evictions/ Dispossession of Land
Legal Status:
In Court
Status of Case In Court
Pending
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
District and Sessions Court, Merta
Case Number
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Killing, Attempted killing, Physical attack, Sexual violence/sexual harassment
Whether criminal law was used against protestors
Official name of the criminal law. Did the case reach trial?
Reported Details of the Violation:
Date of Violation
May 15, 2015
Location of Violation
Dangawas
Nature of Protest
Advocacy (for inclusion in courts), Involvement of national and international NGOs, Protests/marches
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Rajasthan Government, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Name, Designation and Comment of Corporate Authorities Approached
Other Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Centre for Dalit Rights, Human Rights Law Network
Documented By
Ashish GaurReviewed By
Ashish GaurUpdated By
Ashish GaurEdited By
Ashish GaurLand Conflict Watch
