Hyderabad, March 17 -- A seven-member public hearing panel has written to the Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, urging him to convene an immediate meeting of the State-Level High-Power Vigilance and Monitoring Committee under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The panel, comprimising of a retired judge, advocates and academicians, described serious gaps in the implementation of the Act and systemic atrocities against Dalits and Adivasis in the state.

On January 25, a day-long public hearing was organised where over 30 cases were reviewed, documenting instances of Dalit and Adivasi atrocities, survivors' accounts. "The findings were deeply disturbing," the letter read.

"Victims and su...