Upper caste men booked for preventing Dalits from entering temple in Uttarakhand

TR Verma, a police officer, said they have registered a First Information Report and an investigation was underway

Police in Uttarakhand’s Almora have booked two upper caste men under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for allegedly preventing a group of Dalit girls and women from entering a temple.

The two have been booked under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. (Twitter)

Renu, the complainant in the case, said Kishore Singh Adhikari and Soban Singh Patni told them on March 15 that only they can decide who will enter the temple, and if they tried to enter, they would commit a sin. “The accused passed casteist remarks at us.”

TR Verma, a police officer, said they have registered a First Information Report and an investigation was underway. “These girls and women alleged the upper caste men said even their forefathers were not allowed to enter the temple, how can they? In the initial investigation, the allegations have been found to be true.”

In January, police in Uttarkashi arrested five upper caste men for allegedly assaulting a Dalit man with burning wood and embers and taking him hostage overnight in a temple for praying there.