KOPPAL: Even as Koppal district administration and the police have been creating awareness against the practice of untouchability after the Miyyaapur incident wherein a Dalit family was penalised when their kid entered a temple, yet another similar instance has come to light.
On September 11, Dalit youth Mareppa entered the Mahalaxmi temple to offer worship at Nagankal village in Karatagi taluk of the district. However, the temple priest Basavaraj Badiger objected to this and subsequently Rs 11,000 penalty was imposed on him by upper class members.
The incident came to light during the visit of district officials and the police to the village on September 25 to create awareness against untouchability. Karatagi police have registered a suo moto case under SC-ST Act, 2015 against eight people, including the temple committee members, identified as Basavaraj Badiger, Revanayyaswamy Galimath, Shekharappa Ryavanaki, Sharanappa Gunjalli, Prashant Tammannavar, Basavaraj Talavar, Kadappa Nayak, and Durgesh. Four of the eight accused have been detained and search is on for the remaining, said a police official.
Marepppa is said to have initiated to offer worship as the temple priest was not present. However, the priest is said to have come to the temple at the same time and abused the youth before bringing it to the notice of upper class members including the temple committee. Though a penalty of Rs 11,000 was recovered from the Dalit youth, temple committee and upper class members claimed it as contribution, not penalty, sources said.