A Dalit family was boycotted in a village of Karnataka’s Yadgir for reporting the rape of a minor Dalit girl in Yadgir district of the state on Friday.
The rape accused is from upper caste and when the incident was reported by the victim’s family who lodged a police complaint at Narayapura, the upper caste community was enraged. Upper caste community leaders sent messengers and asked the family of the victim to compromise but the family rejected multiple offers and continued to demand action against the accused.
Enraged by refusal, the caste leaders boycotted the Dalit community. Reportedly, the shop owners are not selling any items including stationery items to Dalit children.
The victim’s family is now forced to buy essential products from far-off places as shopkeepers refuse to sell them anything.
The accused from the upper caste allegedly raped a 15-year-old minor in a village near Hunasagi taluk of Yadgir district. The rape incident came to light when the victim had conceived and was in the fifth month of pregnancy. The family went and filed a complaint under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).
Dalit Organizations have requested help from authorities and demanded stricter action against the accused. The family continues to live in fear after the boycott. Police are said to be having peace meetings between both communities to resolve the matter.
