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On 29 March 2016, Delta Meghwal, a 17-year-old [[Dalit]] girl, was found dead at her college in [[Nokha, Bikaner|Nokha]], [[Bikaner district]] in the state of [[Rajasthan]], India. Her body was found in a water tank of the Jain Adarsh Teacher Training Institute for Girls where she was a student. A [[First Information Report]] (FIR) lodged by her parents stated that she told them on 28 March that she had been raped by a teacher who, it is alleged, then killed her. Meghwal's cause of death has not yet been officially established.

== Early life ==
Delta Meghwal was born on 7 May 1999.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://twocircles.net/2016apr18/1460999458.html#.VxUVOU8ppdk|title=Death of a Delta|last=Mirsab|first=A|last2=Alam|first2=Afroz|date=18 April 2016|website=Two Circles: Mainstream News of the Marginalized|access-date=2017-06-06}}</ref> Her father, Mahendra Ram Meghwal,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/jaipur/a-year-after-delta-meghwal-s-death-family-allergic-to-education/story-UU1c2S7YGI9Kw61EXkUScJ.html|title=A year after Delta Meghwal's death, family 'allergic' to education|last=Ahmad|first=Salik|date=29 March 2017|website=Hindustan Times|access-date=2017-06-06}}</ref> is a primary school teacher<ref name="jha">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/jaipur/dalit-educator-s-death-pushes-barmer-village-back-in-time/story-oKb24XUlcE9gVsYbM1M2GO.html|title=Dalit educator's death pushes Barmer village back in time|last=Jha|first=Vaibhav|date=11 April 2016|work=The Hindustan Times|accessdate=2017-02-24}}</ref> and a resident of Trimohi village of [[Barmer district]] in Rajasthan.

Meghwal was pursuing second year of BSTC (Basic School Training Certificate) at the Jain Adarsh Teacher Training Institute for girls in Nokha, Bikaner.

== Institutional murder ==

On 29 March 2016, 17-year old Delta Meghwal's body was found in a water tank at the college. The FIR filed by Meghwal's parents alleged rape and murder. It named Priya Shukla, who was warden of the college hostel, along with Vijendra Singh, who was a physical education instructor, and Ishwar Chand Baid, the college principal. Their claim was that on 28 March, Meghwal called her father and told him she had been raped. She said that Shukla had sent her to clean the room of Singh and that Singh raped her once there. There were four other women in the hostel on that day. Her father alleged that the college tried to cover up the incident and claimed it had forced a written apology signed by Meghwal and Singh which indicated consensual sex.<ref name="ie"/>

Following the complaint, Singh was arrested by Bikaner police and placed in custody.<ref name="ie">{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/rajasthan-dalit-raped-murdered-teacher-held-indo-pak-border/ |title=Rajasthan: Dalit 'raped, murdered', teacher held |work=The Indian Express |date=2 April 2016 |accessdate=2017-02-13}}</ref> On 8 April 2016, with the other two named parties now in custody, the Bikaner police said that a Forensic Science Laboratory report indicated Meghwal was raped and later drowned, rather than being placed in the tank when already dead. They said this suggested it was a suicide and not murder.<ref name=TOI>{{cite news|title=Dalit girl student was not murdered, says FSL report|url=http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Dalit-girl-student-was-not-murdered-says-FSL-report/articleshow/51735039.cms|accessdate=2016-04-20|work=The Times of India|date=8 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/jaipur/delta-meghwal-case-charge-sheet-against-three-for-abetment-of-suicide/story-MZcM8o2tZmCaMXndTqJQGO.html |title=Delta Meghwal case: Charge sheet against three for abetment of suicide |work=Hindustan Times |date=28 June 2016 |first=Aparnesh |last=Goswami |accessdate=2017-02-13}}</ref> The [[Indian National Congress]] (INC), who were the opposition political party, said that the state's [[Chief Minister (India)|Chief Minister]], [[Vasundhara Raje]], was failing to provide justice.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/bjp-isolating-dalits-says-rahul/article8473182.ece |title=BJP isolating Dalits, says Rahul |work=The Hindu |date=14 April 2016 |first=Kavita |last=Upadhyay |accessdate=2017-02-13}}</ref> Raje said that the INC was engaging in [[votebank politics]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Will give nod for CBI probe if Delta's family demands: Smt Vasundhara Raje |publisher=Vasundhara Raje |url=http://cmapp.rajasthan.gov.in/cmapp/frontend/frontmediacoveragedetails/49.html |date=15 April 2016 |accessdate=2017-02-22}}</ref>

In April, the INC and the victim's father demanded intervention by the [[Central Bureau of Investigation]]. Soon after, it was reported that the [[Government of Rajasthan]] had recommended it<ref>{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/rajasthan-dalit-girl-death-sbi-probe-vasundhara-raje-2761420/ |title=Rajasthan CM Raje govt seeks CBI probe into Dalit girl's death |work=The Indian Express |date=20 April 2016 |accessdate=2017-02-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/jaipur/bikaner-dalit-rape-murder-father-demands-cbi-investigation/ |title=Bikaner Dalit 'rape-murder': Father demands CBI investigation |work=The Indian Express |date=9 April 2016 |accessdate=2017-02-13}}</ref> but in September 2016 there was an appeal to the [[Governor of Rajasthan|state governor]], [[Kalyan Singh]], to intervene because of claims that Raje had not acted on that intention.<ref>{{cite news |work=The Hindu |title=Cong seeks Governor's intervention in Dalit girl's case |date=22 September 2016 |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-otherstates/Cong-seeks-Governors-intervention-in-Dalit-girl%E2%80%99s-case/article14621113.ece |accessdate=2017-02-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Ahmed|first1=Salik|title=A year after Delta Meghwal's death, family 'allergic' to education|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/jaipur/a-year-after-delta-meghwal-s-death-family-allergic-to-education/story-UU1c2S7YGI9Kw61EXkUScJ.html|accessdate=2017-04-10|publisher=Hindustan Times|date=29 March 2017|language=en}}</ref>

There have been accusations that Meghwal was subjected to discrimination based on her Dalit status, such as by being asked to clean Singh's room. Members of the Dalit community have been active in demanding further investigation.<ref name="jha"/>

== See also ==
*[[Crime in India]]
*[[Rape in India]]

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Rape in India}}
[[Category:Rape in India]]
[[Category:2016 crimes in India]]
[[Category:Dalit women]]

Delta Meghwal rape case - Revision history

>Citation bot at 15:51, 6 January 2020