Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: A Uttar Pradesh court on Tuesday sentenced three men to death for their involvement in the 1981 Dehuli massacre, where 24 Dalits, including women and two children, were brutally murdered by a gang of dacoits.
Last week, a special dacoity court in Mainpuri convicted the three men for the crime, which was allegedly orchestrated to punish Dalit witnesses who testified against upper-caste criminals. The massacre occurred in Dehuli, which was part of Mainpuri district at the time but now falls under Firozabad.
The Dehuli Massacre: A Brutal Attack
On November 18, 1981, at around 4:30 PM, a gang of 17 dacoits, disguised as policemen, raided Dehuli village. The attack was led by Thakur men Radheshyam Singh alias Radhey and Santosh Singh alias Santosha, who targeted a Dalit family, shooting 24 people dead.
Chotelal, one of the survivors who was 17 years old at the time, recalled, “I was working in my fields when I heard gunshots. The first to be killed was Jawalaprasad. They then went on a shooting spree. Many of us fled to nearby Jajumai village.”
Decades-Long Legal Battle
An FIR was filed against 17 accused under various IPC sections, including:
• 302 (Murder)
• 307 (Attempt to Murder)
• 396 (Dacoity with Murder)
Over the course of more than 40 years, 14 of the accused died, leaving only three surviving individuals in the trial:
• Kaptaan Singh (who was out on bail)
• Ramsevak (brought from Mainpuri jail)
• Rampal Singh (who sought an exemption from appearing in court, but his plea was rejected, and a non-bailable warrant was issued)
One Accused Still on the Run
Another accused, Gyan Chand alias Ginna, has been declared absconding, and separate legal proceedings are ongoing in his case.
Justice After 43 Years
The court’s verdict of capital punishment marks a significant step in addressing one of the most heinous caste-based massacres in Indian history. Survivors and families of the victims have welcomed the decision, stating that justice, though delayed, has finally been served.
