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After last year’s clash, CRPF jawan’s wedding procession gets police protection in Bulandshahr village
The CRPF jawan, who is posted in Delhi, demanded that the Bulandshahr SSP provide him security for his marriage, including the ghudchari procession in which the groom goes to a temple on horseback.
In view of alleged tension between dalits and Thakurs following a death in firing during a wedding procession last year, the ‘ghudchari’ (wedding) procession of a dalit jawan of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was taken out under police protection in the Thakur dominated village Gadana in Bulandshahr district on Sunday.
Gadana, a Rajput (Thakur) dominated village, also has a sizable population of dalits.
Unwilling to risk another incident, CRPF jawan Gaurav, who is posted in Delhi, demanded that the Bulandshahr SSP provide him security for his marriage, including the ghudchari procession in which the groom goes to a temple on horseback.
SSP SK Singh said police were deployed in the village after receiving a written application from Gaurav in order to prevent any clashes.
Both communities had clashed during a dalit wedding procession on July 1 last year, leading to an exchange of fire in which a Thakur, one Rakesh, died and nine dalits were booked for murder.
Bulandshahr SSP SK Singh said three of the accused were later booked under the National Security Act (NSA).
Besides, the SC/ ST commission, on the complaint of dalits, directed the SSP and the Bulandshahr district magistrate to register a case against the Thakurs.
“A case against six Rajputs was also registered in the same incident,” said Rajpal Tomar, station house officer of the Kakor police station under the jurisdiction of which the Gadana village falls.
Since then both communities have been wary of each other.
The SHO said since then both communities avoided taking out the ghudchari procession through each other’s localities in order to avoid further clashes.
But, Gaurav’s family decided to take the old route which passes through Rajput localities and that’s why police were deployed in the village, said SHO.
The ghudchari ceremony was completed without incident on Sunday evening. Thereafter, the baraat (marriage party) proceeded to the bride’s village and returned on Monday morning.
SHO Tomar said teams from police stations nearby were also called.
“We made security arrangements till the baraat returned on Monday,” said SHO, adding that after the July incident, police were deployed in the village whenever functions took place there.
“We could not risk another death due to a clash,” he said.
The instance of the marriage procession having to be taken out under police protection has drawn criticism from dalit leaders and activists.
The social organisation Shoshit Kranti Dal’s president Ravikant said it’s a matter of shame that a CRPF jawan anticipated caste atrocities.
“Those who protect the country are feeling insecure. If this could happen in western UP, then the condition of dalits in the far-flung areas could well be imagined,” he said.
