Panchayat boycotts dowry victim’s family again

Despite police action, a caste panchayat in Barmer has, for the second time, issued a diktat to boycott a family who had approached court against harassment and dowry demand. The first diktat to boycott the family and a penalty of Rs. 2 lakh had come in April last year,

Despite police action, a caste panchayat in Barmer has, for the second time, issued a diktat to boycott a family who had approached court against harassment and dowry demand.

The first diktat to boycott the family and a penalty of Rs. 2 lakh had come in April last year, prompting the family to approach Balotra court. The complainant, Kehararam Prajapat, a resident of Khejdiyali village, said his niece was married to Hanumana Ram, a resident of Parlu village.

He claimed that they had paid dowry according to their capacity at the time of marriage. But soon after, the in-laws started harassing her for dowry. The woman filed a case against her in-laws, but it didn’t stop them from harassing her.

Taking cognisance of the victim’s family, the court asked police to investigate into the matter. In October, local police had filed a charge sheet against 39 caste panchayat members on the complaint of the family members, Samdari police station incharge Amar Singh Bhayal said. The matter is under trial at the local court.

However, the panchayat didn’t seem to learn from the police action. It reorganised again on December 25 and threatened the victim’s family to withdraw both the cases, otherwise their boycott would not be removed. When the family refused to accept the diktat, the panchayat again ordered social boycott.