Dalit family ‘ostracised’ for marrying village head’s daughter in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad

23 August, 2023 04:02 pm IST

A Dalit family in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district was allegedly ostracized because their son had married the daughter of a village headman (head). The police gave this information on Wednesday.

Family members claimed that the newly wed couple left the village to save their lives, while the groom’s parents were allegedly stopped by the villagers from fetching drinking water from the public water tank and bathing in the pond. He alleged that even local shopkeepers were not selling food items to him.

Fundamental rights cannot be deprived: Police
The incident took place at a village in Darida panchayat under Barora police station, about 200 km from capital Ranchi, police said. Barora police station in-charge Nandu Pal said they received a complaint from the groom’s father, Mahendra Kalindi, about facing social ostracism by the villagers. “We are probing the matter. If the complaint is found to be true then legal action will be taken as no one can be denied fundamental rights.

what is the whole matter
Karan Kalindi, who belongs to a Dalit family, married the daughter of Darida panchayat head Parvati Devi, and the two reached the Dhanbad women’s police station last Thursday and sought police protection from their family members. After the police called both the families for talks, they accepted the marriage.

‘Villagers threatened of dire consequences’
When we returned to our village, the local residents started socially boycotting us, alleged bride’s mother Sumitra Devi. The villagers came to our house and threatened us of dire consequences if the newly married couple was allowed to enter the village. They also stopped us from fetching drinking water, bathing in the pond and buying food items from local shops.

I have severed all ties with my daughter: Bride’s mother
On Sunday, the groom’s family lodged a complaint against some villagers for socially boycotting them. However, Parvati Devi denied the allegation of boycott by the groom’s family. He said, ‘I have broken all relations with my daughter. I have nothing to do with it. We live in a society and cannot stop any person from fetching drinking water and taking bath in the pond. But everyone has the right to say what is wrong and what is right.