Uttar Pradesh: 3 get death sentence for 1981 killing of 24 Dalits in Dehuli

A special court in Uttar Pradesh’s Mainpuri district on Tuesday sentenced three men to death for their role in the 1981 Dehuli massacre, in which 24 Dalits, including women and children, were killed, reported The Hindu.

The verdict came 44 years after the killings. The three convicted men broke down in court after the sentence was announced.

Special judge Indira Singh convicted Kaptan Singh, Rampal and Ram Sevak on March 12 and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on each of them. The court called the case among the “rarest of rare” crimes due to the brutality inflicted upon the victims.

“The crime committed by the accused is a shame on law and order as well as humanity,” the court noted. “It is a crime that destroys the social structure.”

The court said that the death penalty was justified in the case, as it would serve both as a deterrent and a form of justice for the victims and their families.

Public prosecutor Rohit Shukla said the verdict had been delayed as several accused were initially absconding and were arrested later on warrants, reported ABP News.

He said the trial was also delayed due to the case being transferred to the High Court.

The massacre occurred on November 18, 1981, when a gang of 17 dacoits led by Radhe...

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