Chikkamagaluru: The Dalit community members here held a protest at DC’s office for not allowing to cremate the bodies of the dead community members in the burial ground that has been used by them for this purpose over generations. They alleged that there are plans to convert the two acre land into a playground, at Gadabanahalli.
The members of the community opposed the move on Sunday by keeping a dead body outside the DC’s office. It is said that a lady named Huchamma died on Saturday and a section refused to allow the community members to perform her last rites at the crematorium ground.
The protesters alleged that it is the only crematorium and now, with attempts being made to convert it into a ground, the Dalit community has been left in lurch. Similarly, they said that last month a Panchayat member too had died and even then the villagers protested and stalled the cremation. The Panchayat member was given a decent last rite only after DC Sathyavathi intervened.
Following protest, in-charge DC Vaishali has directed over 400 dalit families to cremate the bodies in a 4 acre land in another village. But the protesters are demanding to allow them to use the old ground where their ancestors have been buried.
