Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh: The well-known legal maxim ‘justice awaited is justice denied’ appears to be laterally tangible to the villagers who were mass murdered by a criminal gang in 1981 when a trial court in Uttar Pradesh recently convicted three persons in connection with the incident.

The victims, 24 Dalits, including seven women and two minors, were massacred at Dehuli village in Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh in vengeance for giving testimony against the criminal gang. During the 44-year-long trial that was shifted to a court in Mainpuri district last year on the orders of the Allahabad High Court, 13 of the total 17 accused had died while one was still absconding. Notably, the members of the criminal gang were mostly from the upper caste. Whether justice has been served, partially served or not at all served is a question to ponder upon.

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Sharing the report, journalist and social commentator Piyush Rai lamented “State of the judiciary in this country,” suggesting a still existing underlying discrimination even in availing justice to people from the lower castes, and the protection for the other side. However, after 44 years, the court has convicted the three, probably in their final years on earth.

The court convicted the three out of 17 accused in mass murder on Tuesday. The convicted include Ram Sevak, who is in jail, Kaptan, who is out on bail and Rampal, who is out and failed to appear before court. The court has issued a non-bailable warrant against Rampal, according to a report by Indian Express quoting Government Counsel (Mainpuri) Rohit Shukla. The court is expected to rule on the quantum of punishment on March 18.

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What Was The 1981 Dalit Mass Massacre In Firozabad ? 

The incident happened on November 18, 1981, when a group of people attacked Dehuli village, barged into houses and shot dead family members present in the homes. The attackers also looted the valuables from the houses, and by the time the police reached the spot, the assailants fled the scene.

The police investigation later disclosed that the killings were to frighten the villagers as four of them provided witness statements to the police following the arrest of two criminals from the Radhey-Santosh gang during an encounter. On November 30, 1981, a gang led by dacoit Anar Singh Yadav unleashed another attack on Dalits at nearby Sadhupur village, killing ten people, including six women, belonging to the Schedule Castes.

The court held them guilty under various IPC sections, including 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 216 (harboring an offender who has escaped from custody or whose apprehension has been ordered), 449 (house-trespass in order to commit an offense punishable by death) and 450 (house-trespass in order to commit an offenceoffense punishable with imprisonment for life).