Upper Caste Killing Bihar

In a rare gesture, President Pranab Mukherjee has set aside Union Home Ministry's recommendation to reject mercy petitions of four persons convicted of killing of 34 upper caste people in Bihar and commuted their death sentences to life term.

A Dalit man was beaten to death and at least 12 others, including old women and children, severely injured as upper castes in the village allegedly attacked them for trying to hoist the national flag outside a temple belonging to the community.

Brahmeshwar Mukhiya, who headed the banned, upper caste militia Ranvir Sena, was shot dead on Friday morning by unidentified people at his village in Bihar's Bhojpur district. Buses and offices have been set on fire by supporters of the Ranvir Sena. Curfew has been declared in the town of Arrah.

Citing lack of evidence, a Bihar court on Monday acquitted three men sentenced to death and 20 given life imprisonment for the 1996 massacre in Bathani Tola in which 21 people, mainly women and children, were killed by members of the upper caste Ranvir Sena.

In a rare gesture, President Pranab Mukherjee has set aside Union Home Ministry's recommendation to reject mercy petitions of four persons convicted of killing of 34 upper caste people in Bihar and commuted their death sentences to life term.

A Dalit man was beaten to death and at least 12 others, including old women and children, severely injured as upper castes in the village allegedly attacked them for trying to hoist the national flag outside a temple belonging to the community.

Brahmeshwar Mukhiya, who headed the banned, upper caste militia Ranvir Sena, was shot dead on Friday morning by unidentified people at his village in Bihar's Bhojpur district. Buses and offices have been set on fire by supporters of the Ranvir Sena. Curfew has been declared in the town of Arrah.

Citing lack of evidence, a Bihar court on Monday acquitted three men sentenced to death and 20 given life imprisonment for the 1996 massacre in Bathani Tola in which 21 people, mainly women and children, were killed by members of the upper caste Ranvir Sena.