BHOLA KI JHAL(MEERUT);Tension prevails in this village following the burning alive of Mr-Ziley Singh a 28-year-old Harijan agricultural laborer allegedly by members of Upper castes fast week.

The residents of Bhola Ki Jhal village 17 km from Meerut fear caste clashes. No senior district or police officer has visited the village so far

According to Ziley Singhs mother Mrs. Naval 52 and other residents of the village when Ziley Singh had gone to his field to collect fodder accompanied by his wife Suresh. While his wife returned home shortly afterwards Ziley Singh did not do so even after half-an-hour. Mrs. Suresh sent their five-year-old son Harish to look for his father He too returned home without finding his father said Mrs. Naval

Subsequently a group of Harijans went to look for him after about 15 minutes the search party saw smoke billowing from afield close to the bank of the upper Ganga canal they found Ziley Singh lying there with severe bums. According to Mrs. Naval and Other residents the assailants had tied his hands and legs with ropes before setting him on fire the villagers immediately took Ziley Singh to the Pyarelal Sharma hospital in Meerut where the doctors declared him dead. Mrs Nava) said her son was a laborer in the fields owned by a member of the upper caste. He had four minor children. His mother denied that Ziley Singh had enmity with anyone.

A dispute over property is suspected to be the motive behind the crime.

According to two residents Ramji Lal and Dr.Rishipal four years ago the state government had sanctioned about nine pattas (land) to the Harijans of the village. This annoyed members of upper castes including the village Pradhan Shashi Bhushan Sharma and they got the pattas cancelled. However after one year the Harijans obtained a stay against the cancellation.

Most Harijans of the village alleged that the Pradhan men terrorized the villagers after they obtained the stay against the cancellation. They however denied that Ziley Singh had any personal enmity with them Most members of the Harijan families also accused the village Pradhan of encouraging rigging and booth capturing during the last two village-level elections Sharma won the last two village Pradhan elections despite the fact that nearly 250 families belong to Harijans while about 150 families are of Upper castes.

Article extracted from this publication >> March 18, 1994