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* Khairlanji witnesses fear threat to life * Special Correspondent http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/06/stories/2007010618501300.htm the hindu 06/01/07 MUMBAI : Witnesses to the Khairlanji massacre are complaining of threats to their lives even as activists have alleged that the CBI chargesheet has left out the principal accused. Rajender Gajibiye and Siddharth Gajibiye, relatives of the victims, told a press conference here on Friday that witness protection was inadequate and they faced caste pressures in the Vidharbha village. Four members of the Bhotmange family of Khairlanji in Bhandara district were killed last September. Among the victims, a woman and her daughter were also raped. The Gajibiye brothers said they were provided just one constable each. They faced threats from workers of the Nationalist Congress Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party because they had named local legislators. They visited their farm only at dead of night. Siddharth could not go to his shop in a village 35 km away. The police continued to be hostile to them, the brothers said at the press conference organised by the Khairlanji Action Committee and the Citizens for Justice and Peace led by activist Teesta Setalvad. Dalit activist Milind Pakhale and lawyer Shashi Bhushan Wahane said the accused got bail on Saturday last, because the public prosecutor did not oppose the plea. In a bid to intimidate the witnesses, their release was celebrated with drum beating and dance processions in the village. They said the CBI charge sheet did not name the main accused. The activists disputed the government claim that all their demands were accepted. They never demanded a fast-track court to try the case. They wanted only day-to-day hearing in a special court. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Ours is a battle not for wealth or for power. It is a battle for freedom. It is a battle for the reclamation of human personality." - Dr BR Ambedkar ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ greenyouth mailinglist is the activist support mailinglist for kerala run by Global Alternate Information Applications (GAIA) To post to this group, send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
