Navi Mumbai: Adivasi Ekta Parishad rally protests police atrocities, seeks justice

The Adivasi Ekta Parishad on May 26 organized a rally comprising about 400 people to the Collector's office to protest against the atrocities towards the Adivasi families in Dhanivari demanding action against those who forcefully evicted them from their homes. The organisaiton has threatened to call a Palghar bandh if their demands are not met, a representative of the organisation said.

In the memorandum submitted to the Collector, they demanded action against Sub Divisional Officer Dahanu and the police who had forcefully evicted them.

Police brutality against tribals

Eight families living for four generations in Ibhadpada in Dhanivari, Dahanu taluka, were served evacuation notices at 4 pm on April 18. The land owner had received compensation for areas acquired for the expressway. However, the land owner and the occupants had a dispute over the compensation for the trees the tribals had planted. On April 19 afternoon, the eight tribal families were evicted forcefully and their houses destroyed.

The tribals alleged that the police had pulled the women and elderly, beaten them with sticks and razed their houses. The district collector had constituted a four-member committee based on the direction of the National Commission for Backward Classes. The Maharashtra State Commission for Women had also sought a detailed factual report on the matter from the district collector.