Bihar massacre: Congress expresses dismay over court order

The Congress Friday expressed its dismay at the acquittal of the Laxmanpur Bathe (Bihar) massacre accused and said it would support the victims' struggle for justice.

"The Scheduled Castes department of the All India Congress Committee deplores the fact that even after 16 years of the heinous massacre of 58 Dalits by alleged activists of the upper caste Ranvir Sena at Laxmanpur Bathe in Bihar, the perpetrators of the crime have not been brought to justice," K. Raju, department chairman, said in a release issued here.

Citing lack of evidence, the Patna High Court Thursday set aside the conviction of all 26 accused, 16 of whom were awarded death sentence by a lower court, for the Dec 1, 1997, massacre of Dalits in Bihar's Jehanabad of Arwal district.

"The department stands by the victims of the massacre and will do everything possible to aid them to ensure justice is delivered," said Raju.

Recently, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi highlighted the plight of Dalits in the country and pledged support to them.