A complaint was registered Tuesday against some members of a caste panchayat in Rajasthan’s Rajsamand district after they allegedly ostracized members of over 100 Dalit families, police said.
The incident took place in a village near Khamner area in Rajsamand, some 350 km from Jaipur.
“Some members of a Dalit community registered a first information report (FIR) accusing members of a caste panchayat of ostracizing them. The Dalit family says that over 100 families from their community were ostracized,” said a police officer.
The panchayat’s decision came when the Dalit community members sought a piece of land for building a temple of their caste’s deity in the village.
The complainant says that the caste council members held a public meeting in the village recently and pressurised them to withdraw their application seeking the land. When they refused to follow the order, the council ordered the villagers to ostracize about 100 families, the officer said.
As per the orders, a resident would have to pay Rs.11,000 to the council if he or she is found speaking with the ostracised family members. The family was prohibited from buying even grocery items from shops in the village.
Police Inspector Ramesh Kavia said that an investigation has been launched into the allegations.
(Source: IANS)
