MP: Dalit groom’s home attacked over marriage procession; 6 held

Bhopal, January 25

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The home of a Dalit bridegroom was pelted with stones and ransacked allegedly by a section of local residents in a village in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district after he took out a wedding procession in an act seen as defiance against tradition, the police officials said on Tuesday.

The police have arrested six persons in connection with the attack on the house of the groom in village Ganiyari under Banda police station limits of the district, some 200-km from the state capital Bhopal, in the Bundelkhand region on Sunday, an official said.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Vikram Singh said some villagers allegedly pelted stones and ransacked the house of the groom.

Following a complaint, 20 persons were booked under provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and six of them were arrested while some others are being interrogated, he said.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Tuesday said in Bhopal the police had received a complaint in which the complainant had expressed apprehension that some villagers may stop the groom from taking out marriage procession.

“On getting information, the police reached the spot and a procession (which is called ‘rachh’ in local language) was taken out. The marriage procession then left for Katni (bride’s hometown). Later, some people allegedly pelted stones at the groom’s home,” he said.

Mishra said police personnel have been posted in the village to maintain law and order and six accused arrested after the complaint.

Dilip Ahirwar, the groom, alleged that members of his community are not allowed to take out a marriage procession in the village.

He broke this tradition and this angered some villagers, Ahirwar claimed.

The bridegroom said the marriage procession was eventually taken out with help of the police and Bhim Army workers.

He said later in the evening his house was vandalized. —