Amrabhai Boricha

HRD and RTI activist 

Bhavnagar, Gujarat 

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on March 31, 2021, regarding the brutal murder of Dalit RTI activist Mr. Amrabhai Boricha. Mr. Boricha was a Dalit activist and was intervening in cases of caste atrocities. He was also filing RTIs related to the functioning of the panchayat. 

In 2013, Mr. Boricha was attacked by the members of the upper caste Kshatriya community and his leg was broken. A case was registered against the assailants, who were putting pressure on him to withdraw the case. Mr. Boricha was again attacked by Mr. Bhupatbhai, a member of the upper caste in 2020, however, the police didn’t register a case in this incident. He was again attacked twice by the same assailant in January and February 2021, after which Mr. Boricha was given protection by unarmed home guards. When Mr. Boricha was threatened by the assailant again, his daughter attempted to file a police complaint, however, she was abused and pushed out of the police station. 

Mr. Boricha and his daughter were attacked in their home by members of the Khastriya community, armed with various weapons, on March 2, 2021. Mr. Boricha was killed and his daughter was grievously injured.