(September 30, 2011) An Indian court found on Thursday 17 police and forest officials
guilty of raping a group of lower-caste women in the southern state of Tamil Nadu
during a search of their village 19 years ago. Press Trust of India said the court
also ruled that about 100 other officials had brutally beaten dozens impoverished
people of the dalit village. Considered to be at the bottom of India's caste system,
dalits are also known as untouchables, and hence have been oppressed through centuries.
The incident occurred in 1992 as officials raided Vachathi village to search for smuggled
sandalwood. The two-day raid ended with 18 women reportedly raped and 100 people
badly beaten. The defendants will be sentenced next week and face up to 10 years in
jail. The news agency said many of the defendants have already died.