Chhattisgarh: 3 dalit families ostracised for complaining against molestation

Three Dailt families in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district have alleged that they are ostracised by the panchayat of Kurudih village for filing a police complaint against youths who allegedly molested some women at a marriage ceremony recently, an officer said.

A complaint alleging social boycott was filed on Wednesday, after which the police were directed to conduct investigation.

According to the officer, some people, including women from Kurudih village under Urga police station limits, filed the complaint alleging boycott by the village panchayat.

Additional Superinten-dent of Police Tarkeshwar Patel said some girls and women were allegedly molested by ‘inebriated’ youths recently during the marriage ceremony of a woman at the house of one of the complainants in the village, located around 15 kms away from here.

The women who were allegedly molested belonged to the family of the groom who had visited the bride’s house as revellers, the officer said.

Following the incident, the bride’s mother lodged a complaint against the youths, who also belonged to Kurudih village, with Urga police, he said.

Annoyed with filing of the complaint, a panchayat was called in the village which decided to boycott the family of the complainant and two more families of their relatives.

The bride’s mother said that they came to know about the the boycott only when a local priest refused to visit their house for performing rituals for another marriage ceremony in the family.