governments abused their power and tried to In July, an 84-year-old Jesuit priest, Father make “scapegoats” of the accused. Stan Swamy, died after being repeatedly In October, several opposition politicians denied bail despite suffering from Parkinson’s were arbitrarily detained or put under house disease and contracting Covid-19 in jail. He arrest by the Uttar Pradesh Police for had been arrested in October 2020 by the showing their support for four protesting NIA for his alleged involvement in violence farmers who were killed by a speeding car during the Bhima Koregaon celebrations near owned by the junior home minister. the city of Pune in 2018. Father Swamy had CASTE-BASED DISCRIMINATION AND been a vocal supporter of tribal peoples. HATE CRIMES At least 28 people were killed in targeted attacks in Jammu and Kashmir by members Dalits and Adivasis continued to face of armed groups. The Indian government widespread abuses. According to official failed to address the human rights and safety statistics released in September, more than concerns of the people of Jammu and 50,000 crimes against members of Kashmir. Scheduled Castes and 8,272 crimes against EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE Scheduled Tribes were reported in 2020. Dalit and Adivasi women faced sexual There were numerous incidents of excessive violence by men from dominant classes. use of force by police and security officers. In Many faced discrimination in accessing August, Haryana Police charged on public services. peacefully protesting farmers in the city of In June, a 17-year-old Dalit boy was shot Karnal, Haryana, beating them with lathis dead by dominant-caste men in the city of (batons), and seriously injuring at least 10 Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh. The victim had farmers. Prior to the lathi-charge, the sub- previously lodged a complaint with local divisional magistrate of Karnal was seen police after the men objected to him entering ordering police officers to “break the heads of a temple, but the police had not taken any protesters” in a video shared on social media. action. In September, Assam Police In August, a nine-year-old Dalit girl was indiscriminately fired on members of the allegedly raped and murdered by four men Bengali Muslim community in a forced including a Hindu priest in a Delhi eviction drive in the village of Sipajhar, crematorium, and then cremated without her Assam, killing a man and a 12-year-old boy. family’s consent. A photojournalist was seen stamping on the In September, Arbaaz Aftab was murdered, body of the murdered man in the presence of allegedly at the behest of his Hindu police officers who did not prevent the act, in girlfriend’s parents, who opposed their a video shared on social media. After intense daughter’s interfaith relationship. public outrage, the photojournalist was Despite legislation in various states arrested. criminalizing acts of lynching, Dalit and In October, the central government Muslim men were assaulted or beaten to extended the jurisdiction of the Border death by vigilante cow protection groups in Security Force in states sharing international Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, borders, and gave them increased powers of Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tripura search, seizure and arrest. In the past, the and Uttar Pradesh. Border Security Force has been accused of IMPUNITY grave human rights violations including unlawful use of force, extrajudicial killings, Enforced disappearances and torture and and torture and other ill-treatment. other ill-treatment were committed with impunity on a widespread and systematic basis. Amnesty International Report 2021/22 192