Three sentenced to death for 1981 dalit massacre in UP

KATHMANDU: A court in India has sentenced three individuals to death for the 1981 massacre of 24 Dalit community members.

The victims, including women and children, were shot by a gang of robbers in Dehuli village, Uttar Pradesh.

The special court in Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh, on Tuesday described the murder as falling under the “rarest of the rare” category, justifying the death sentence.

However, the convicted individuals, who claim to be innocent, have the option to appeal the sentence in a higher court.

According to Indian media reports, all of the victims were from the Dalit community. The relatives of the victims have welcomed the sentence, but they have also expressed their desire for quicker justice. “We got justice too late. The accused have lived their lives,” said Sanjay Chaudhary, who lost his uncle in the massacre, in an interview with BBC.

Of the 17 accused, 13 have died over the 44 years since the crime. Aside from the three sentenced to death, one other accused is still at large.

On Nov 18, 1981, a group of 17 armed men dressed in police uniforms entered Dehuli village and opened fire indiscriminately on the villagers.

Many of the attackers were from upper-caste backgrounds.

The violence followed the murder of a Dalit member of a gang, allegedly killed by a colleague from an upper caste. The gang members then attacked the village, fearing that some Dalit villagers had reported them to the police.

“I was doing housework when suddenly the gunshots rang out,” said Rakesh Kumar, one of the survivors. “I hid behind a pile of rice. When I came out, I saw many people, including my mother, shot.” Rakesh’s mother, Chameli Devi (now 80 years old), was shot in the leg while fleeing for her life. “They didn’t spare anyone—women or children,” Rakesh added. “They killed anyone they came across.”

The shooting lasted for more than four hours. According to Indian media, the attackers had already fled by the time the police arrived at the scene.

Following the massacre, Dalit residents from Dehuli began to flee, and the local administration deployed police personnel to the village.

The police remained in the village for months to reassure the people. The incident also triggered political ramifications, with then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visiting Dehuli to meet the victims.

In 1984, the case was transferred to the Allahabad Criminal Court from the district court under the order of the state’s higher court.

The case continued to be heard until 2024 when it was moved to the special court in Mainpuri.

It is common in India for courts to take decades to complete hearings and deliver verdicts, especially when the victims belong to marginalized communities.

In 2023, a 90-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment for a 1981 caste-based crime.