What happened?

On September 17, coinciding with Bishwakarma Puja, an orchestra reached Gudri Bazaar in ward 8 of Kalyanpur Municipality, Siraha. According to the victims, a group from the local Rajput community, led by Prabhas Singh, verbally abused Raj Kumar Paswan while seating people. The disagreement escalated, and Prabhas’s group later threatened the Dalit families with eviction.

On September 19, the victims filed a complaint at Mirchaiya Police Station. Despite multiple delays, those named in the complaint agreed to a discussion only for October 7. On Friday, a 50-strong group destroyed the homes of Raj Kumar Paswan, Rasalal Paswan, Ashok Paswan, Binde Paswan, and Sobhit Paswan. They looted food, clothes, jewellery, and cash from the houses, according to Raj Kumar Paswan.

What action has followed?

Police filed a complaint against 13 individuals on Saturday. The complaint names local figures, including Ram Kishor Yadav, ward chair from Nepali Congress, and others such as Prabhas Singh, Nitesh Singh, Shailendra Singh, Raj Kumar Singh, Kailash Singh, Ganesh Kamati, and Mustafa Rayen. Yadav, Ganesh, and Kailash have been arrested; others are being sought. All suspects are held at Mirchaiya Police for investigation. Police say more names could be added during ongoing investigations.

How is the ward chair allegedly involved?

Preliminary police findings indicate ward chair Yadav allegedly incited the attack. On September 21, he wrote to Kalyanpur Municipality, requesting the eviction of Dalits from the land they occupied. The municipality ignored the letter since the families were squatters. Police say Yadav then played a covert role in planning the attack on the Dalit homes.

What is the current situation of the victims?

State agencies have responded to provide legal support, but daily life for the victims remains harsh. On Saturday, officials, including the Chief District Officer, security heads, and municipal teams, visited the families, providing food and tarpaulins. Still, the victims are forced to spend nights under tarpaulins. Sanjudevi Paswan said, “We have no place to live or cook. Small children are with us, and at night, only one of us stays awake.” Binde Paswan added, “We are poor and cannot rebuild homes ourselves. We need a long-term solution.”

What have Dalit leaders said?

Dalit leaders who visited the site on Sunday demanded a thorough investigation and strict action against the perpetrators. Social activist Manoj Kumar Paswan warned that repeated inaction by state authorities emboldens attacks on Dalits. “Such incidents happen repeatedly, but officials fall under the influence of perpetrators instead of punishing them. If any manipulation occurs in this case, we will strongly protest and take action,” he said.