The Dalit families of Subhai village in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand faced social boycott after a member of their community, Pushkar Lal, could not attend a religious event due to illness. Traditionally, Dalit families in the village have been responsible for playing the drum at various social, cultural, and religious festivals.
Following Pushkar Lal’s absence, the local panchayat of Subhai village, near the India-China border, announced a boycott against all Scheduled Caste (SC) families. This boycott included severe restrictions such as barring them from using forest and water resources, buying essentials from shops, commuting in vehicles, and even visiting temples.
A video surfaced showing a member of the panchayat announcing the boycott and threatening villagers with similar consequences if they did not comply with the order.
In response to this discriminatory action, the victimized families lodged a complaint at the Joshimath Police Station. The complaint specifically named Ramkrishna Khandwal and Yashvir Singh as allegedly responsible for orchestrating the boycott order.
