Panchayat orders MP villagers to shun Dalit family for using well

A village panchayat in Tikamgarh district, which is controlled by members of the dominant caste, has ordered that a Dalit family be ostracised for two years as they had fetched water from the village well.

The diktat was passed on Tuesday in Sarkanpur village but the matter came to light on Saturday when the family came to the district headquarters, 350km northeast of Bhopal, and lodged a complaint with the superintendent of police.

Fed up with the sanctions, the family of 24 was forced to move out of the village as they could not get water, vegetables, and grocery items.

One of the victims, Munna Lal Banskar, 65, said, “A few women of our family had gone to the well but women of the Lodhi community, a dominant caste, stopped them. There was an argument and the Lodhi women broke our earthen pots and also beat up our kin. We lodged a complaint with local police but they did not act.”

“On Tuesday, Lodhi community members organised a panchayat and announced a boycott of our family members for the next two years. Immediately, all shops in the village refused to give us groceries and we weren’t even allowed to get water from the well or handpump,” said Banskar.

Tikamgarh SP Kumar Prateek said, “I received a complaint in this regard. We are investigating.” However, he said the family had not informed the local Khargapur police. “I am verifying the claims,” he said.

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