In July 2022, a woman belonging to a tribal community was set ablaze by persons who had captured her land in Dhanoria village of Guna district in Madhya Pradesh. She suffered 80 percent burns and later died in a hospital in Madhya Pradesh.
The land in question belongs to the woman Rampyari Bai and her husband, Arjun Sahariya, who belongs to the Sahariya community, which is identified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG). The land was granted to them in 2000 by the Madhya Pradesh state government as part of a welfare scheme. Earlier, the Tehsildar had redistributed 700 hectares of land to the landless members of Dalits and Tribal communities in Dhanoria and nearby villages.
A majority of such redistributed lands, however, was occupied by members of other land-owning communities who are socially and economically more advantaged than the landless communities. In Rampyari Bai's case, her land was occupied by members of the Other Backward Class (OBC). After various attempts to regain control of their land, Rampyari Bai and Arjun Sahraiya’s complaint reached the revenue court. The court ruled in their favour in May 2022.
Following this, Arjun Sahariya went to take possession of the land. But the individuals who had occupied their land refused to vacate the land. In June 2022, Arjun had sought security from the police as he felt his life was in danger from the people who had captured his land. But the police turned down his request.
When his wife, Rampyari Bai, went to the land, she found that those individuals were beginning to sow seeds on her land. When she objected, they set her on fire. A video of the women being under fire and surrounded by thick smoke, which was allegedly shot by the accused, was circulated on various social media portals.
The Madhya Pradesh Police arrested three persons – Pratap Dhakad, Hammat Dhakad, and Shyam Dhakad, all members of the other backward class (OBC) community. Two other women, Avanti Bai and Sudama, were also arrested. The accused were charged under sections 304 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (attempt to murder). They were also charged under various sections of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act) 1989.
As per the February 2026 order of the District and Sessions Court (Guna), the bail applications of all the accused were rejected, and the trial is ongoing. The accused have been in custody in Guna Sub-Jail since their arrest in 2022.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand for legal recognition of land rights
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand to get back access to private land, demand for security and access to justice
Region Classification
Rural
Type of Land
Private
Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)
What was the action taken by the police?
Arrest
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Indian Penal Code
Section 34[Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention];Section 307[Attempt to murder];Section 302 [Punishment for murder]; Section149 [Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object]; Section 147 [Punishment for rioting ]
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Agricultural land
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
Type of investment:
Year of Estimation
Has the Conflict Ended?
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Other, Land Reform Laws
Legislations/Policies Involved
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Forced evictions/dispossession of land
Legal Status:
In Court
Status of Case In Court
Disposed
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Yes
Name of the adjudicatory body
Revenue Department, District Court
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Districts & Sessions Court, Guna
Case Number
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Attempted killing
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
No
Reported Details of the Violation:
After the district revenue court ruled in favour of Arjun Sahariya, he went to take possession of the land that was granted to him by the state government in 2000. But the people who had captured his land refused to vacate the land. When Arjun's wife, Rampyari Bai visited the land, she saw them sowing the land and tried to stop them. The individuals who belonged to the Dhakad community (Other backward class), set her on fire. She suffered 80% burns and later died in a hospital in Bhopal.
Date of Violation
July 6, 2022
Location of Violation
Dhanauri village, Bamhauri Tehsil, Guna district
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
What was the action taken by the police?
Arrest
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Indian Penal Code
Section 34[Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention];Section 307[Attempt to murder];Section 302 [Punishment for murder]; Section149 [Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object]; Section 147 [Punishment for rioting ]
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
