In a troubling development from Yadgir district in North Karnataka, 50 Dalit families have been subjected to a social boycott by the village after the parents of a minor Dalit girl refused to withdraw a sexual assault case. The case involves a 23-year-old upper-caste man, Chandrashekhar Hanamantaraya Biradar, who is currently under judicial custody. The girl, who is five months pregnant, had initially been in a relationship with Biradar, which reportedly soured, leading her parents to file a complaint under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Since the boycott was announced on August 13, about 250 Dalits residing in two colonies of Bapparaga village have been denied access to essential services, including grocery and stationery shops, temples, salons, and public spaces. The boycott has severely impacted daily life, with children unable to buy basic school supplies like pens and notebooks.
Yadgir Superintendent of Police Sangeetha, who is currently in the village to mediate, denied any evidence of the boycott, calling the situation “normal.” She has urged village elders to cease such inhumane practices, and it appears they have agreed to her request.
The village, located about 500 km from Bengaluru, has a population of approximately 1,500 and is situated in Hunsagi taluk, adjacent to the Narayanapura dam across the Krishna River, primarily known for paddy cultivation.
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