⚖️ Vachathi, 1992: How 215 Officials Were Held Guilty of Crimes Against a Tribal Village

Vachathi is a Scheduled Tribe hamlet near the Sitheri Hills in Dharmapuri district. In the early 1990s the region was the focus of operations against sandalwood smuggling linked to the brigand Veerappan.

A large team of forest, police and revenue personnel entered the village, saying they were searching for smuggled sandalwood. What followed, as later proved in court, went far beyond a search: villagers were beaten, homes, belongings and livestock were damaged, and 18 women were sexually assaulted.

The villagers, supported by the CPI(M) and tribal-rights groups, refused to let the matter be buried. After petitions in the Madras High Court, the CBI took over the investigation in 1995 and charged 269 officials.

On 29 September 2011, the Dharmapuri Principal District and Sessions Court convicted all the accused. Of 269 charged, 54 had died during the long trial; the 215 survivors — 126 forest staff, 84 police personnel and 5 revenue officials — were sentenced to between one and ten years.

Exactly twelve years later, on 29 September 2023, Justice P. Velmurugan of the Madras High Court dismissed every appeal and upheld all the convictions. The court also ordered:

• ₹10 lakh compensation for each of the 18 survivors — half to be recovered from those convicted of rape;
• jobs for the survivors or their family members, and steps to improve livelihoods in the village;
• action against the then District Collector, Superintendent of Police and District Forest Officer for failing to act.

• The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 makes atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Tribes special offences, tried in special courts, with relief for victims.
• Article 21 protects every person’s life and dignity; public office gives no immunity for crimes.
• Survivors of sexual violence have the right to have their identity protected, to free legal aid and to compensation.

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• No one is above the law — not a forest guard, a policeman or a revenue officer.
• Independent investigation was decisive when officials were the accused.
• Justice delayed is hard justice — 31 years is too long; but the survivors’ courage won.