Justice Delayed: Dalit Victims’ Families React to Long-Awaited Verdict in 1981 Massacre

All the victims of the 1981 massacre in Dehuli belonged to the Dalit community, which occupies the lowest rung of India’s rigid caste hierarchy. Following a recent court ruling, families of the victims have expressed relief at the sentence but lamented the lengthy delay in achieving justice.

“Justice came very late to us. The accused have lived their lives,” said Sanjay Chaudhry, whose cousin was among those killed in the incident. Of the 17 men accused, 13 have died over the 44 years since the crime, leaving just three sentenced to death, while another accused remains at large.

The violence erupted on November 18, 1981, when a group of 17 men, primarily from upper castes and disguised in police uniforms, stormed the village and opened fire on residents. The attack was reportedly in retaliation for the murder of a Dalit gang member by his upper-caste associates, who believed some villagers were informing the police about the crime.

Survivors have vivid memories of that harrowing day. “I was doing household chores when suddenly the firing started,” recalled Rakesh Kumar, a witness who was a teenager at the time. He hid behind a stack of paddy and emerged to find many, including his mother, shot. “They did not spare anyone, including women or children,” said Chameli Devi, now 80, who was wounded while fleeing the gunfire.

The ordeal lasted over four hours, and the attackers fled before the police arrived. The massacre led to a mass exodus of Dalits from Dehuli, prompting the local administration to deploy police personnel to the village for months to restore a sense of security. The incident sparked political outrage, with then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visiting the area to meet the victims.

In 1984, the case was transferred from a district court to the Allahabad Sessions Court at the directive of the high court, where it progressed sporadically until 2024, when it was moved to a special court in Mainpuri, resulting in the recent convictions.

The protracted nature of this case highlights a troubling trend in India, where it is not uncommon for courts to take decades to reach a verdict, particularly in cases involving marginalized communities. In 2023, a 90-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison for another caste-related crime from 1981, underscoring the systemic delays in delivering justice for victims of such atrocities.