On March 15, in the Bali police station area of Pali district of Rajasthan, a Dalit youth named Jitendrapal was murdered with knives. It was said in the beginning of the incident that some domineering Dalits of the village did not like the mustache of the youth and his lifestyle and that is why they carried out this incident. However, now the Rajasthan Police has disclosed the incident and claimed that the murder was not due to moustache but due to old enmity.
SHO Devendra Singh told that, “In 2020, a case was registered by Jitendra against both the accused under the SC/ST Act and the police had chargesheeted three accused including one Kamlesh in that case. At that time Jitendra was sitting outside his house, when there was an altercation between him and the three accused. After that the accused boys started living in Surat and started trying to compromise. But Jitendra refused. On his refusal, they came from Surat and committed the crime on March 15 and fled to Barmer on a motorcycle.”
Jitendra Pal’s brother Omprakash told about the incident that Jitendra was accompanied by his partner Harish Kumar that day. Omprakash told that while giving information about the incident when Jitendra was in the hospital, he said, “Both the killers Suraj Singh and Ramesh Singh were on a motorcycle and were following us. While Ramesh was riding the bike. Sooraj had sharp weapons in both hands and hit my neck and hands from behind. During this Harish and I fell to the ground and then Ramesh hit my jaw, throat and shoulders. When they were hitting me, they were using casteist words. Were telling me to compromise, otherwise we will not leave anyone in your family. When he thought we were dead, he left the weapon and ran away.”
Devendra Singh, SHO of Bali police station in Pali district said, “It happened between 3:45 pm to 4:00 pm on March 15. Jitendrapal Meghwal used to work on contract basis at CHC Bali and was on his way to his village after duty. At the same time two men chased him and stopped him on the road and killed him.”
A case was registered under IPC sections 302 (Murder), 34 (Acts done by several persons with common intention), SC/ST Act and Arms Act. Om Prakash has alleged in the FIR that the accused and his family often threatened and pressured us to compromise. Suraj’s father Babu Singh had also threatened to kill my brother.