A dispute over the cremation of a Dalit man’s body in Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur district led to tension between two villages and required police and administration intervention to resolve the issue peacefully.
The incident took place on Tuesday at the Bhevad Saheli cremation ground in Kadasai Panchayat. Villagers from Bhevad Saheli and Nanawan clashed after the family of the deceased man from Nanawan village attempted to conduct the last rites at the crematorium. Their own designated cremation ground had become unusable due to heavy rain and a swollen ravine nearby.
Facing no other option, the family turned to the nearby cremation site in Bhevad Saheli. However, some locals from Bhevad Saheli opposed this, leading to a heated argument between the two communities. The situation became tense, prompting the involvement of local police and administration.
Authorities arrived at the scene and intervened, eventually allowing the cremation to take place without further conflict.
The root of the issue lies in the existence of separate cremation grounds based on caste. According to local panchayat officials, the people of Nanawan had earlier requested to use the Bhevad Saheli cremation ground during the monsoon months. But the panchayat had turned down the request, saying there was no agreement among the villagers.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate Rajendra Gautam confirmed that the cremation was completed peacefully. He also said the administration would take steps to avoid such incidents in the future.
“The local administration has been asked to find suitable government land so that a separate cremation ground can be built for Nanawan village as soon as possible,” Gautam said.
