PIL: Cops failed to protect Dalit boy

A petition has been filed in the Bombay high court in connection with the murder of Swapnil Sonawane, a 15-year-old Dalit boy from Navi Mumbai, who was recently killed by his girlfriend’s family, belonging to the OBC community.

The petitioner stated that if the police had taken timely action on the complaint of Swapnil’s mother his life could have been saved.

The division bench of Justice V.M. Kanade and Justice M.S. Sonak was hearing a public interest litigation filed by activist Yashwant Shenoy.

Mr Shenoy stated that Swapnil’s mother Gauri had gone to the Nerul police station on July 18 and 19 along with the boy, but officials there did not pay heed to their complaint.

On July 18, Swapnil was allegedly beaten up in an auto rickshaw and forcefully taken to the police station by the girl’s brother and his associates. Gauri was then summoned to the Nerul police station and the boy was asked to take a written undertaking that he would not contact the girl. The following day, Swapnil’s father, Shahaji, also approached the police station but no complaint was registered. On the same night, Swapnil was murdered.

Shenoy also referred to a Supreme Court judgment in Lalita Kumari vs state of Uttar Pradesh in which the apex court had said the police has to investigate every complaint it receives and needs to register an FIR, but in Swapnil’s case the Nerul police had ignored the complaint.

He further stated that it was not just one incident, but there were several instances where the police refused to take the complaint of the people, and so, this practice must be stopped.

In the petition, Shenoy demanded that high court direct the state government to implement the apex court order, so in future incidents such as that of Swapnil Sonawane’s murder could be avoided. The HC has posted the matter for August 1.