Dalit family boycotted for reporting rape against upper caste youth in K’taka

Bengaluru: In a shocking incident that came to light on Friday, a Dalit family was boycotted in a Karnataka village for reporting the rape of a minor Dalit girl in Yadgir district of the state.

The upper caste community was enraged after the family of the victim, a minor Dalit girl, went ahead and lodged a police complaint under the provisions of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The upper caste youth had allegedly raped a minor girl in a village near Hunasagi taluk of Yadgir district. The 15-year-old victim had conceived and the family came to know about the incident when the girl was in her fifth month of pregnancy. The family then lodged a police complaint at Narayapura police station on August 12.

The upper caste community leaders had sent messengers and asked the Dalit family to come to a compromise. However, the Dalit family rejected the offer and insisted that police action be taken against the accused.

Following this, the upper caste leaders ordered shop owners in the village to boycott Dalits. The shopkeepers are now refusing to sell basic stationery items such as pens, notebooks and pencils to children belonging to the Dalit community. The Dalit families are not sold daily ration by the shops in villages and they are forced to fetch it from a distant place.

The Dalits in the village are living in fear about the consequences and have sought assistance from the authorities. The Dalit organisations have raised concern over the incident and demanded action against the culprits. The police and district administration are trying to hold a peace meeting between the communities. More details are yet to emerge regarding the incident.

Yadgir is one of the most backward districts of Karnataka and its social indicators are alarmingly low when compared to other regions.