101 Convicted to Life Imprisonment in Landmark Caste Violence Case in Karnataka
"Koppal District Court Delivers Harsh Sentence After 10-Year Trial for 2014 Markumbi Violence"
On Thursday, the Koppal District Court in Karnataka sentenced 101 individuals to life imprisonment, marking the highest number of convicts receiving such a sentence in any caste-related case in India.
All of the accused were found guilty of caste-based violence that occurred on August 28, 2014, in the village of Markumbi, located in the Gangavati taluk. During the violent incident, 117 people set fire to the homes of Dalits. However, over the decade-long trial, 16 of the defendants passed away.
Justice Chandrashekar C also imposed fines ranging from ₹2,000 to ₹5,000 on the convicted individuals. The violence erupted after Dalits were barred from entering barber shops and food establishments, following a clash between two caste groups that escalated into widespread violence.
The impact of the unrest was so severe that the entire area remained under police surveillance for three months, and police barricades were in place for several days. During this time, the state’s Dalit Rights Committee organized a march from Markumbi to Bengaluru in protest. All those convicted are currently incarcerated at Ballari Central Jail.
