Una Dalit flogging: 'Accused committed a heinous crime with intention of instilling fear', says prosecution

Ahmedabad: The trial in 2016 Una Dalit flogging case is finally reaching the end with the prosecution recently completing its final argument before a special court in Veraval in Gir Somnath district.

The prosecution stated that "such a grave offense was committed with the sole intention of creating fear in a particular section of the society."

The prosecution submitted that instead of 'appreciating the victims' for carrying out their generational and 'noble business of collecting dead animals', which is required for maintaining the 'ecological balance', the accused committed a 'heinous crime with the intention of instilling fear in the society.' 

It said that the accused fabricated evidence in order to label oneself as a gaurakshaks (cow vigilante).  

The prosecution also argued that the accused and the victims hail from the same vicinity and the accused was aware of the occupation the victims were involved in.

"Despite this, the accused persons committed this heinous act with malicious intention in collusion with each other," the written statement says while asking the court to take note of it.

"Nowadays, if the ecological balance gets disrupted an epidemic will break out. The Indian government is also running a cleanliness drive. It is impossible to know where an animal will die. Therefore, wherever an animal dies, if it is not immediately removed, one can understand the troubles and consequences the residents of that area will bear. The victims of the present case were dealing in the generational noble occupation of collecting such dead animals and making useful things out of their skin and bones which helps in maintaining the ecological balance," the written submission stated.  

The 43-page written submission was filed last month by special public prosecutor Ketansinh D Vala. He has said that entire evidence—oral and written, medical and electronic prove that the accused conspired and acted accordingly. 

There are 41 accused in the case who on July 11, 2016 thrashed four Dalit youths, stripped and paraded them in full public view at Mota Samadhiyala village of Una taluka in Gir-Somnath district for skinning a dead cow.

Initially, the accused who claimed to be cow vigilantes, said that the victims had killed a cow but an investigation later on revealed the cow had actually been mauled by an Asiatic lioness. 
In the written submission, the prosecution has stated how the incident led to widespread protest during which 74 cases were registered and one policeman was killed. The prosecution also said that after the video of the incident went viral, 23 people tried to commit suicide in which one died.

The accused, the statement says, disturbed law and order situation by creating such a grave offense. When Govind Parmar—the advocate who is representing the victims in the court—was contacted, he said that since the prosecution has completed its final arguments, he will be submitting them on behalf of the victims in the coming days.