Tensions arose in Hanakere village, Mandya district, Karnataka, after members of the Dalit community entered the “Kalabhairaveshwar” temple for worship, prompting a police presence to maintain order. According to police, the conflict began on Thursday when upper-caste Gowda community members objected to Dalit entry into the temple, which had been rebuilt two years ago under the religious endowment department.
Mandya Deputy SP Ramesh commented, “We have deployed police personnel in the village due to tensions between the two communities. However, no case has been registered as no complaints were filed.”
In efforts to mediate, former MLA M. Srinivas, tehsildar Shivakumar Birdar, and social welfare officials stepped in to resolve the situation. Birdar emphasized the importance of equality, stating, “As a matter of social justice, Dalits are allowed to enter the temple.” He noted that four months ago, the entire village visited the temple together, but recently, issues had emerged.
“This is a Mujurai temple, and everyone is permitted to enter,” Birdar added. The social welfare department held discussions with the villagers to clarify legal rights, and by Sunday, a resolution was reportedly reached.
However, some resistance persisted among upper-caste villagers. One member reportedly stated, “Let them keep the temple; we will take God. The temple was built with our labour. We will not enter the temple from now on.” As a protest, they removed the temple’s name board and moved the Utsava idol to another room.
Social welfare officer Siddalingappa, acknowledging the long-standing nature of the issue, explained, “This problem has been ongoing for four months. We held two meetings to inform the villagers about the law, and we finally succeeded in convincing them.” With police support, members of the Dalit community were able to enter and worship in the temple on Thursday.
