The recent killing of Dalit human rights defender Mr Chandra Kant Gaikwad shows that a democratic system is not enough to guarantee a peaceful progressive development. If the leaders of the victims are not protected and the powerful feel free to kill with impunity, this is what happens according to a report by Front Line
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On 12 February 2013, 30-year-old Dalit human rights defender Chandra Kant Gaikwad was shot and killed, reportedly by an individual whom the human rights defender had filed a complaint against regarding caste-based violations. Chandra Kant Gaikwad led cases against alleged perpetrators with local authorities. Chandra Kant Gaikwad was also a volunteer at the National Dalit Movement for Justice, where he monitored and documented caste-based violations.
At approximately 10am on 12 February 2013, as Chandra Kant Gaikwad was visiting another human rights defender, Dada Shivaji Jadhav, in Indapur block of Pune district, Maharashtra, a number of individuals arrived in a jeep and attempted to shoot both human rights defenders. While Dada Shivaji Jadhav managed to escape, Chandra Kant Gaikwad was fatally shot. The alleged perpetrator of the killing is Satpal Rupnavar of the Dhangar community, whom Chandra Kant Gaikwad, Dada Shivaji Jadhav and a third human rights defender, Vaibhav Gite, had filed a case against in May 2011, accusing him of committing crimes against Dalits in Indapur block, Pune district in 2011. Chandra Kant Gaikwad was also one of the witnesses for two other cases of caste-based crimes, which were filed against Satpal Rupnavar in 2012. All these cases were registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Satpal Rupnavar was arrested based on the above complaints in January 2012. Six months ago however, the accused applied for bail and was released from custody.
Prior to Chandra Kant Gaikwad’s killing, a complaint had been issued the local police regarding continuous threats by Satpal Rupnavar. However, the complaint was not investigated and no protection measures were provided to the three human rights defenders. Similar complaints were also made to the Superintendent of Police, the National Human Rights Commission and the Ministry of Interior, reportedly without any response received. Front Line Defenders asks for an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the killing with a view to publishing the results and to bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards and to guarantee the security and physical and psychological integrity of Vaibhav Gite and Dada Shivaji Jadhav.
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