The situation has been prevailing for the last six months and it is not something the administration is unaware of. But even the government’s might has failed to ensure justice to the Dalits.

On Tuesday afternoon, when The Indian Express visited the village, the tubewell room was found locked. Some people from the Dalit community were waiting outside for a government functionary, who was expected to come and help restore the supply.

Manoj Mishra, a social activist, said the ban was imposed in July.

The provocation — the jubilation and greater assertiveness of Dalits after the BSP victory in assembly elections. They even snatched the keys of the tubewell room from the operator, a government employee.

“I have raised this matter before government officials at least six times on Tehsil Diwas. Every time, they issued orders to restore the supply, but these were never implemented,” said Mishra. Tehsil Diwas is a fixed day every month when officials listen to people’s grievances and order redressal. Shatai and Ram Jiyawan, both Dalits, said the upper castes were so powerful that even the police dare not take action against them. “Our complaint was marked to Malipur police station, but when the policemen came to the village, they were driven away,’’ said Parshuram, another Dalit.

Sub-District Magistrate of Ambedkarnagar, BR Diwedi, said he knew about the issue and had taken action. An FIR had been registered against some villagers -- Rama Upadhyay, Jagdeesh Upadhyay, Sita Ram Upadhyay and Ram Pujan Upadhyay. They had been arrested and sent to jail, he said. Deputy Superintendent of Police Shivraj was candid. “A particular community” was riding roughshod on the Dalits, he said. The village is dominated by Brahmins. The police, he said, had booked their leaders in a criminal case, but they all were released on bail and then they started terrorising the Dalits. “But the police won’t allow them to continue their unlawful activities,” he said.

Interestingly, District Magistrate Ajay Kumar Upadhyay was not aware of the problem. “Tomorrow, I will send the SDM to that village to ascertain the facts and only then I can say something,” the DM said. “If they are not allowing the Dalits to draw water, they should be booked under the Gangster Act.”

The provocation - the jubilation and greater assertiveness of Dalits after the BSP victory in assembly elections. They even snatched the keys of the tubewell room from the operator, a government employee.

"I have raised this matter before government officials at least six times on Tehsil Diwas. Every time, they issued orders to restore the supply, but these were never implemented," said Mishra. Tehsil Diwas is a fixed day every month when officials listen to people’s grievances and order redressal.

Shatai and Ram Jiyawan, both Dalits, said the upper castes were so powerful that even the police dare not take action against them. "Our complaint was marked to Malipur police station, but when the policemen came to the village, they were driven away,’’ said Parshuram, another Dalit.

Sub-District Magistrate of Ambedkarnagar, BR Diwedi, said he knew about the issue and had taken action. An FIR had been registered against some villagers -- Rama Upadhyay, Jagdeesh Upadhyay, Sita Ram Upadhyay and Ram Pujan Upadhyay. They had been arrested and sent to jail, he said.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Shivraj was candid. "A particular community" was riding roughshod on the Dalits, he said. The village is dominated by Brahmins. The police, he said, had booked their leaders in a criminal case, but they all were released on bail and then they started terrorising the Dalits. "But the police won’t allow them to continue their unlawful activities," he said.