MP: Couple ostracized for inter-caste marriage, villagers demand Rs 2 lakh to allow return
India Today
The ostracized couple has alleged that village elders and community members have demanded Rs 2 lakh from them in lieu of allowing their to return to the community fold.
An inter-caste couple in Paudi village of Damoh district in Madhya Pradesh has alleged that village elders and community members have demanded Rs 2 lakh from them in lieu of allowing their to return to the community fold.
The couple, along with their family, was ostracized by the village panchayat about six years ago when Rajesh Prajapati married Jyoti Uthaya.
The village panchayat was peeved at the fact that Prajapati, who belongs to the OBC community, had gone against the directions of the village elders and married Jyoti, who is a Scheduled Caste.
The couple now has a five-year-old son who is not being allowed to play with other children in the village.
Rajesh Prajapati along with his wife Jyoti Uthaya on Thursday approached the District Superintendent of Police in Damoh seeking action against the village elders. In his complaint, Prajapati alleged that a demand of Rs 2 lakh is being made from his family.”
“We have already suffered for over six years. So my father agreed to the penance as was demanded from him by the village panchayat. We wanted to return to the community fold so we agreed to organise a ‘Bhagvad katha’ and a feast for the villagers. We did not have sufficient money for the same, so we took a loan. But even after doing what was asked from us, some villagers created a scene and said the penance wouldn’t be complete till we paid an additional Rs 2 lakh,” Prajapati said in his complaint.
Damoh DSP DR Tanibar confirmed that he received a complaint from Prajapati and his wife and the matter is being investigated. Legal action would be taken if the community members were found to be making extortion demands.
