Land mafia attacked and set fire to a Dalit hamlet in Nawada district, Bihar.
Victims: All houses belonged to Scheduled Castes (SC) members.
Cases filed under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and other relevant laws.
21 houses were completely destroyed, along with belongings and farm animals.
The government provided food and temporary shelter to victims.
Prevalence of Arson Attacks on Dalit Households
Between 2017 and 2022, Bihar recorded the highest number of arson cases targeting SCs in India.
Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh had the highest number of such cases.
Bihar consistently recorded the highest number of arson cases against SCs in the given period.
Increasing Crimes Against Dalits in Bihar
The number of recorded cases of crimes against SCs in Bihar has been increasing annually.
The number of cases pending investigation has also increased significantly.
The number of cases disposed of by the police has been decreasing.
The share of cases charge sheeted is declining, indicating fewer cases reaching court.
A large number of cases against SCs are pending trial in Bihar.
While the conviction rate for completed trials is increasing, the overall number of convictions remains low due to the low number of cases reaching trial.
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