Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh: In a disturbing case of caste-based discrimination, the Dalit community in Mallam village of Andhra Pradesh’s Kakinada district is reportedly facing a social boycott after demanding compensation for the death of a Dalit electrician. Instead of filing an FIR under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, local authorities formed a ‘peace committee’, a move that has drawn strong criticism from human rights groups, reported the Wire.
The deceased, 38-year-old Pallapu Suresh Babu, a Dalit electrician, died of electrocution on April 16 while working at the home of Elisetty Jellababu, a member of the politically influential Kapu community, in Mallam Pedda Veedhi. Suresh leaves behind a wife and two school-going children.
Following his death, the Dalit community demanded compensation from Jellababu. A settlement of ₹2.7 lakh was agreed upon, but only ₹70,000 was paid, leading to protests near the village’s Ambedkar statue by the victim’s family and community members.
According to Human Rights Forum (HRF) General Secretary Namadi Sridhar, this demand for justice triggered retaliation from the Kapu community, who allegedly imposed a social boycott on the entire Dalit colony on April 18–19. HRF’s fact-finding team, which visited the village on April 22, reported that shopkeepers were pressured not to sell essential items to Dalits, and even transportation services were denied.
A Dalit woman told the media, “We make paper plates for a living. But since our young man died, we’ve been told not to come to work. This is their punishment for us demanding justice.”
An elderly Dalit man, Chandrarao, shared how he was turned away from a local tea stall because of the boycott.
Instead of initiating legal proceedings, officials set up a ‘peace committee’ with members from both communities. Sridhar criticized the move, stating that it prioritized superficial harmony over legal accountability. “Those enforcing a social boycott should have been charged under the SC/ST Act. Instead, the administration formed a peace committee to suppress the issue,” he said.
Social activist Thota Rambabu questioned the legality of the authorities’ response. “Does declaring compensation, arranging an apology, or forming a peace committee nullify a crime? Does it erase the humiliation faced by Dalits?” he asked, suggesting the actions were a deliberate attempt to shield the perpetrators.
This incident is not isolated. Mallam village has a history of caste discrimination. Sridhar noted that Dalits still cannot access basic services like haircuts within the village and must travel to towns like Pithapuram or Kakinada.
Activist Rajamani recalled earlier incidents, including verbal abuse during an Ambedkar Jayanti celebration in 2022 and a violent clash during the village’s Onumulamma festival. She detailed how Kapu youth assaulted Dalits and even physically attacked a Dalit teacher, Kaditi Krishnarao, who was later hospitalized. Despite this, only minimal FIRs were filed at the time.
Calling for accountability, Rajamani urged Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan—whose constituency includes the affected village—to intervene and ensure justice.
