LUCKNOW: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh government in connection with a case in which a a Dalit youth lost his legs after being assaulted and tied to a railway track in a village in the Ghaziabad district.

In the notices issued to the state chief secretary and the District Magistrate (DM) of Ghaziabad, the NHRC has sought report on action taken against the accused involved in the attack on a 22-year-old Dalit youth Tika Ram and other Dalits in Ramgarh village of Ghaziabad.

Acting on media reports, the NRHC has also asked the state government to provide information of a compensation, if any, has been or is being given Ram under the provisions of the Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

According to reports, Ram and other Dalits were allegedly beaten up by the members of the Gujjar community living in the same village over a dispute on allocation of 4.75 bighas of panchayat land by the UP government to 60 Dalit families, as per the constitutional norms, The Gujjars have built a wall around the land, restricting movement of the Dalits.

A few days back, Gujjars allegedly attacked the Dalits living in village. Armed with sticks, country-made pistols and axes, they allegedly assaulted Dalit men, women and children. Ram, who was most vocal, was allegedly tied to the railway track. He suffered grievous injuries as a train ran over his legs. Later, he was admitted to the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi where both his legs were amputated. Ram’s father Sheeshpal told media persons that the police, which initially was not taking any action, registered a case of attempt to murder against four people that Tika Ram had named after intervention of the All-India Students’ Association and All-India Progressive Women’s Association. Sheeshpal said that those named in the FIR include brother of the village pradhan who belongs to the Gujjar community.

The land has been allegedly occupied by the gram pradhan. The Gujjars, however, have denied charges and have named Tika Ram in a case of attempt to murder related to an incident of firing on a girl belonging to the Gujjar community few days ago.