In Madhya Pradesh’s Seoni district, a Dalit family was allegedly prevented from offering prayers at a public Durga Puja pandal, sparking outrage after a video of the incident surfaced online.
The case took place in Sadak Seoni village under Chhapara police station. According to the complaint, Shyamlal Ahirwar, a daily wage worker, went to the Durga Chowk pandal on Wednesday evening with his wife and son to offer prayers. He said they were stopped and abused by local men, who told them they could not worship there.
“After returning from the farm, I was stopped by Meharban Singh Thakur, who accused me of complaints against him. Later, when I went to the pandal to make a donation, Naresh Thakur and Narayan Yadav hurled caste abuses and refused to accept my offering. When my nephew tried to donate, they pushed him off the stage,” Ahirwar alleged.
A video from the spot shows an elderly man wielding a stick and appearing to threaten the family. The clip quickly went viral, drawing criticism and exposing continuing caste discrimination in the region.
Superintendent of Police Sunil Mehta confirmed that an FIR has been registered against three accused. “A case has been filed and arrests will be made soon,” he said.
