KRISHNAGIRI: A family of six, including two children, in Chinna Billanakuppam, was allegedly ostracised by a khap panchayat over a land dispute in the first week of February.
According to N Parthasarathy (44) of Chinna Billanakuppam in Billanakuppam panchayat near Krishnagiri, he had a pathway dispute with his maternal uncle, R Krishnan (70), who is also his neighbour. Regarding this, villagers allegedly conducted a khap panchayat on January 24 and asked him to pay `2,500 as a fine and to allow his uncle to use the disputed land.
He refused to oblige and approached the Kurubarapalli police station and the revenue department to survey the land. Following this, in the first week of February, the khap panchayat instructed the villagers to stop talking to him and his family. It also banned them from buying provisions at the shops in the village and also taking part in events like weddings, funerals, etc. If any of the villagers violated the instructions, a fine of `25,000 would be slapped on them and if Parthasarathy or his family members were found guilty, they would have to pay `1 lakh to the panchayat.
"I had sent a petition to the Collector and superintendent of police in March and a week ago. The khap panchayat was headed by village headmen Munirathnam, his uncle Krishnan and another villager Venkatesan alias Billappa. My children—a Class 9 boy and a girl Class 6 girl—are studying at a private school in the nearby village. Few students in that school from our village also refuse to talk to them," Parthasarathy fumed.
He added that he paid `400 to survey the disputed land but had no support from revenue officials. Chinna Billanakuppam has about 150 families and all are Caste Hindus of a single community.
When contacted, Billanakuppam administrative officer Deepa said she was aware of the land dispute. "The surveyor has to measure the land and I can support them with the documents. But I am unaware of the family being ostracised," she added.
Village headman Munirathnam admitted to conducting the khap panchayat to resolve the dispute between Parthasarathy and his uncle. But he denied ostracising the family. He said the villagers voluntarily stopped inviting the family to any functions. When TNIE went to a shop with Parthasarathy, shopkeeper Kamala didn't deny him service. But she was tight-lipped about the family being ostracised.
Special sub-inspector attached to the Kurubarapalli police station, Ravi Kumar, said he went to the village many times to support the family but the family was not cooperating. Krishnagiri Superintendent of Police Saroj Kumar Thakur said he would look into the issue.