E-Paper
Upper caste man's defeat in wrestling leads to tension in village
A sporting incident acted as the trigger to bring caste divisions to the fore in Nangal Fida village, around 10 km from here. A dalit's victory over an upper caste man led to such frayed tempers that the normally peaceful village is still tense, almost a month after the incident.
A sporting incident acted as the trigger to bring caste divisions to the fore in Nangal Fida village, around 10 km from here. A dalit's victory over an upper caste man led to such frayed tempers that the normally peaceful village is still tense, almost a month after the incident.
The police had registered a case against ten persons in incidents of violence on June 20, two days after the match. A village resident, Raja, has been arrested in the case. Tractors and jeeps used in the crime have been impounded.
However, dalits have alleged that the main accused were still roaming free and that members of the community were still receiving threats.
A delegation of dalits recently met SSP Jalandhar Rural Yurinder Singh Hayer two days ago and demanded prompt action or they would be forced to launched an agitation. Boota Ram, a member of the village panchayat said that they been organizing religious functions in the village every year.
Wrestling was an integral part of the function and there had never been social division over a loss in a wrestling match. He said he was surprised that a defeat in a sporting encounter could have such repercussions.
Bhogpur Station house officer Parminder Singh said that the police had arrested a village resident Raja. Paramjit Singh, Sandeep Singh, Goldi, Bindu, Jindu, Sonu, Gopi, Mani and another unidentified man had been named as the accused.
He added that the police had not arrested the main accused Paramjit and other accomplices as the SSP had marked an inquiry into the case by DSP Adampur. When contacted, one of the accused Paramjit Singh alleged that it was the dalits, who provoked members of his community after the match.
