On 18 December 2024, we organised a one-day legal training for 41 Vikas Mitras from Danapur block at the Block Development Office, Danapur, Patna. The session was facilitated by Pratima Kumari, Vipul Kumar, Sanjana Srikumar, and Hamza Tariq.
Vikas Mitras are panchayat-level “friends” recruited by the Bihar Government under the Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission.. They are selected from the most literate and populous Mahadalit caste in the Panchayat and are envisaged as a crucial link in ensuring that the benefits of government programmes reach Mahadalit families. They also work closely with the District Welfare Office to collect personal details such as bank account and Aadhaar information to ensure that statutory compensation amounts reach the complainant and survivor families in cases of caste atrocities.
The training was organised following a suggestion from a Vikas Mitra during the monitoring of a case, where it was felt that there was a need for training on criminal procedure and the rights of survivors under special laws like the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The session began with participants filling out a questionnaire to help facilitators understand their work, the challenges they face, and what capacity-building or legal awareness programmes might be useful for them. This was followed by an overview of the SC/ST Act, including the definition of an “atrocity”, the requirement that the victim belongs to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe community and the accused to a non-SC/ST community, and the timelines provided under the law such as the seven days within which compensation must be given and the sixty days within which the police must file a charge sheet.
Participants were also taken through practical strategies to adopt when the police refuse to register an FIR. These included going to the police station with a written copy of the complaint and asking for a receipt, calling 112 if the police refuse to give a receipt, sending a handwritten complaint by registered post to the Station House Officer and Superintendent of Police, and filing an application before the Magistrate. The importance of letter writing as a form of documentation and evidence building was emphasised, along with advice to make such applications in the name of the complainant to strengthen the case and protect the Vikas Mitra from potential harm.
In the post-lunch session, participants were introduced to the format of a complaint and the key points to keep in mind while writing one, especially for cases under the SC/ST Act. The training ended with a feedback round in which participants shared that more such sessions should be held regularly.
As a follow-up, we will remain in touch with the Vikas Mitras and plan regular capacity-building and legal awareness programmes based on their needs.