Ms. Malti Rao (35), Ms. Krishna Rao (24), Ms. Vidhya (58), Ms. Permila (50), Mr.Ravi Rao (28), Ms. Leelawati (50), Ms. Sonpati (45) and other protestors of Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh started a protest demanding action against the culprits who put black ink on the statue of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar installed it in front of Haothi Mandir, Ambedkar Nagar on November 06, 2022.

Station Officer, Jalalpur Police Station, Ambedkar Nagar reached the spot with some policemen and the protestors demanded action against the culprits. An argument started between police and protestors and according to the protestors the police started to lathi-charge the protestors. In a youtube video, 15-20 male policemen are seen brutally beating 10-12 un-armed women protestors with lathis as well as hurling “casteist” abuses at them. The SP Ambedkar Nagar, Mr. Amit Kumar Sinha, claimed that the women hurled stones at the police force forcing them to use ‘mild force’. However, no woman protesters were seen holding anything in their hands. On November 6, 2022, Ms. Malti Rao 35, Ms. Krishna Rao 24, Ms. Vidhya 58, Ms.Permila 50 were arrested and sent to prison. On November 21, 2022, Ms. Sonpati(45), Mr. Ravi Rao (28) and Miss. Leelavathi (50) was arrested. They were released on bail on December 13, 2022, after one month and eight days.Article 19 (1) (b) of the Indian Constitution guarantees the right to peacefully assemble has been violated. Unprovoked lathi-charge on unarmed protestors is a violation of the Articles 19 and 21 of the Indian Constitution.

HRDA India urges the NHRC to Initiate an immediate, independent, thorough, transparent, effective, and impartial investigation by the investigation division of the Commission into the above-mentioned incident of lathi-charge on unarmed protestors and who gave the order for the lathicharge and submit the report to the NHRC, direct the DGP to immediately arrest the perpetrators and to initiate urgent action against the policemen who hurled casteist abuses and assaulted the Dalit women protestors.

HRDA wanted to direct the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh to pay a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh to each of the Dalit HRDs for the physical and psychological harassment they and their family had to face and ensure that social activists and human rights defenders in the state of Uttar Pradesh can carry out their genuine human rights work as per the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.