Sudden utterance of caste name during altercation without intent to insult will not attract SC/ST Act: Orissa High Court

The Orissa High Court recently observed that sudden utterance of abuse with the name of caste during an altercation without any intention to insult on the basis of caste, will not by itself attract an offence under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (SC/ ST Act) [Ajay Pattanaik @ Ajaya Kumar and anr v. State of Odisha and anr].