Dalits leave village after attack by upper caste men

Haryana: Tension over the wedding of a Dalit boy and Ror community girl; couple currently lodged in shelter home

Over 200 Dalit families have migrated from Pabnawa village in Haryanas Kaithal district after a mob comprising upper caste Ror community members,who dominate the village,attacked their houses after a Dalit eloped with a girl belonging to the community.

Suryakant had eloped with Meena on April 9. Students of final-year BCom at a Kaithal college,they had entered into a relationship and decided to get married. They approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking police protection and finally got married on April 10.

While the couple are currently lodged in a shelter home under police protection in Kaithal,their communities are bearing the brunt. The village has become a fortress with over 500 policemen deployed on round-the-clock duty for maintaining law and order.

A cluster of around 350 houses belonging to Dalits is located at the centre of the village and is surrounded by houses of Rors. Meenas relatives came to know about her elopement last Thursday,following which,tension escalated in the village.

On the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday,around 400 to 500 members of the Ror community allegedly attacked Dalits houses with sticks,rods and swords. There are allegations that Dalit women and girls were harassed and allegedly molested by the mob. Their houses,shops and vehicles were allegedly damaged and cash and jewellery stolen.

The village now bears a deserted look. While the police are standing guard and keeping both the communities away from each other,the Dalits have sent their cattle,women and children out of the village. The only few Dalits left comprise a few aged women,a few youngsters and some elderly.

Around 1,000 people have left the village. Those who could afford locking their houses did so,the remaining just wanted to save their lives and left. We have sent our women and children to our relatives in other villages outside Kaithal district, said Premdas,a Dalit who sustained severe injuries in the attack.

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Dalits also alleged that the district administration was hand-in-glove with the Rors. It was a planned attack. Since the MLA from Pundri belongs to the Ror community,these people keep throwing their weight on us. Suryakant was previously also assaulted on a couple of occasions. Now,they are threatening us that they will not let us live in this village, said Karam Singh,a Dalit.

While Suryakants family has left the village,Meenas parents claimed they have no problems with her marriage. We have met her and told her she can come home. Since she has got married,there is nothing we can do. I have three daughters and a son. Meena was the eldest. I have to get the other children married, said Pirthi Singh,Meenas father.

This is definitely a stigma on my family,but I cannot do anything now. My family has nothing to do with this attack on Dalits. They can live in their houses and let us live, he added.

When contacted,Kaithal Deputy Commissioner Chander Shekhar said: The situation is peaceful. A few people have been arrested while the rest will be arrested soon. The couple are in safe custody and have refused to go to their homes. Their parents have also met them.