In 1999, a mob murdered Australian missionary Graham Staines and his family in Manoharpur, Odisha. The crowd claimed that Graham Staines was converting innocent tribal members to Christianity. According to police investigations, Ravindra Kumar Pal alias Dara Singh of Uttar Pradesh’s Auraiya district played a major role in the offense in question. Dara Singh was eventually convicted to maximum life imprisonment and a fine in four separate cases by the Supreme Court.
OpIndia’s team visited the village of Dara Singh, who has been imprisoned for more than 24 years, and assessed the present condition. We discovered that Dara Singh’s family is living in deplorable conditions.
Dara Singh’s residence is located on a street after entering Auraiya’s Kakod Bazaar, around 200 meters from the main road. The roadway was full of water, and the drain was gushing. Dara Singh’s unplastered house is built ahead of a drain. As we entered through the iron gate we saw that the cows, buffaloes, and goats were tied up. Dara Singh’s family considers rearing goats as their ancestral work. He is originally from the Pal Hindu community in Uttar Pradesh, widely known as Gadaria. Animal husbandry is the primary occupation in the village.
No place to sit or sleep
After entering Dara Singh’s house, a shattered plank lay in the outer hallway. Raindrops dripped from the roof and landed on the fractured plank. A rusty bicycle was parked nearby, and Dara Singh’s brother Arvind Kumar Pal rode it to work. Inside the house, two cots have been put together in the courtyard to provide sleeping space for Dara Singh’s family members. There are no concrete floors throughout the house. Bricks have been laid in the area where animals are tied.
The kitchen and toilet are both dilapidated
Dara Singh’s kitchen and toilet are in disrepair as a result of poverty. Dara Singh’s brother, Arvind Singh, informed us that he will have it repaired soon because it is causing a lot of hardship for the family. The kitchen included some utensils, including a cylinder gas, but outdoors there was also an earthen burner. We were told it was to save money.
Broken glass and 25-year-old television
Dara Singh’s family’s mirror, which they use to get ready before leaving, is at least 15 years old. The mirror is cracked on one side, and Arvind Pal has plastered it to the house wall with a mud mixture. Along with this, there is a small black and white television inside the house that is around 25 years old and is still operative. We were told that when Dara Singh’s news was carried on Doordarshan 24 years ago, his father took out a loan to buy this television. Since then, Dara Singh’s family has been unable to acquire funds to purchase a new television.
House filled with water during rains
When the OpIndia team arrived at Dara Singh’s house, it had begun to pour severely due to heavy rains. Dara Singh’s neighborhood and the majority of his house had been submerged within a brief period of time due to the rain. The outer area of the home where the animals were chained was inundated. The inner half, where food is cooked, was likewise filled with rainwater. Dara Singh’s family members described it as an everyday concern. They further stated that, in addition to insects and mosquitoes, snakes and other creatures emerge as a result of this.
Religion is still paramount for the family
Even though Dara Singh’s family has been financially devastated by court disputes over the previous 24 years, religion remains paramount to them today. The family takes extremely good care of the cattle raised at home. Aside from that, the images and idols of Gods and Goddesses have been carefully placed in areas where water and dust won’t damage them. Dara Singh’s house’s front entry gate also bears the ‘Om’ symbol.
Bricks marked ‘Ram’ were also used in building the house. Even today, the family members of Dara Singh start their work in the morning after taking a bath and performing puja. Dara Singh’s brother Arvind Kumar Pal told us, “Our religion is our heritage.”
Ruined in litigation and legal battles
Arvind Pal explained that the family’s immovable property, as well as their jewelry, were sold during the 24-year-long legal battle. Loans have been taken out to keep the family afloat, and people still come to get the loan amounts back. Arvind Pal further claims that the legal battle would continue until Dara Singh gets released from jail and comes home.
