RANCHI: A Dalit family has allegedly been ostracized from the village after their son married the daughter of a village mukhiya in Darida Panchayat under Barora police station around 30 km from the district headquarters in Dhanbad.
According to the Dalit family, the villagers prevented them from fetching drinking water from the public tank, bathing in the village pond, and also denied them rations and other daily essentials from local shopkeepers. “The villagers often came to us and threatened us with dire consequences if my son and his wife were allowed to return to the village,” said the groom’s mother Sumitra Devi.
The incident came to light when Karan Kalindi, who belongs to a Dalit family, married Darida panchayat mukhiya Parwati Devi's daughter and reached Dhanbad Mahila police station seeking protection to safeguard their life.
Family members of both sides were called in for counselling. After they returned to the village, people started boycotting them socially, the Dalit family claimed.
Later, the Dalit family lodged a complaint against villagers for boycotting them socially.
Village head Parwati Devi, however, denied the allegations levelled against her.
“Calling a Panchayat, I have broken all my relations with my daughter. I have nothing to do with her. We live in a society and can't stop any person from fetching drinking water and bathing in a pond. But, everyone has the right to say what is wrong and what is right," she said.
The officer in charge of Barora Police Station said that a complaint had been received by the victim’s family that they were being forced to leave the village.
“A complaint was received from the victim's family alleging the villagers are forcing them to leave the village as their son left the village along with the girl. We are investigating the matter. Legal action will be taken if the complaint is found true as no one can be denied fundamental rights,” said the officer-in-charge of Barora Police Station Nandu Pal.