Provide protection to caste hatred victim: HC to police

Justice T. Vinod Kumar of the High Court on Friday directed the Suryapet police to protect Kotla Bhargavi, whose husband Vadlakonda Krishna alias Mala Bunty, was murdered allegedly over caste hatred.

Bhargavi, belonging to the Gowda caste, and Krishna, a dalit, got married. Krishna was murdered on January 26 this year allegedly by the family members of Bhargavi owing to caste hatred, her counsel V. Raghunath said.

Even after the murder of her husband, Bhargavi had been receiving threats that she too would be eliminated the way her husband was killed once the accused come out, the lawyer said. He contended that it is the duty of the government to protect the kith and kin of victims under the Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act.

He argued that even two months after Bhargavi approached the police authorities for protection in the backdrop of threats to her life, there was no response from the police officials.