GENEVA: India must better protect tribal peoples and disadvantaged castes subject to extrajudicial killings, torture and violence by law enforcement, a United Nations watchdog said Tuesday. The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) also said the world’s most populous country urgently needs to address hate crimes against Bengali-speaking Muslims.

The committee said it was also concerned about alleged violations by the authorities against the Scheduled Tribes, the Scheduled Castes and other groups.

UN committee " gravely concerned about reports of large-scale violations perpetrated by law enforcement officials against" ethno-religious groups, tribal peoples and non-citizens.