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This is an archive article published on January 24, 2023
Inter-caste marriage: ‘Shrigaud’ leaders booked for socially boycotting Pune family for 23 years
The resident of Fursungi stated that he and his family were not allowed to participate in festivals, gatherings, and rituals of his community after he married a woman from another caste in 1998.
Prakash Dangi sought help from activists of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti (MANS), which has been fighting against social boycott incidents.
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Inter-caste marriage: ‘Shrigaud’ leaders booked for socially boycotting Pune family for 23 years
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The Pune city police have booked nine persons, including the ‘Jaat Panchs’ (caste leaders) of the ‘Shrigaud’ community for allegedly socially boycotting a man and his family for over two decades because he got married to a woman from another caste.
The police first information report (FIR) in this case at the Bibwewadi police station on Monday based on a complaint of Prakash Dangi, 46, a resident of Fursungi who married a woman outside their caste in 1998. The police have booked the accused persons under sections of the Maharashtra Protection of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act and section 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
As per the FIR, the ‘Jaat Panch’ of his community allegedly imposed ‘Olaba’, (which means social boycott) on him. Dangi stated that since then for the last 23 years, he and his family were not allowed to participate in various activities like festivals, gatherings and rituals arranged for his community members.
Dangi claimed that he applied to the ‘Jaat Panchayat’ of his community multiple times for withdrawing the ‘Olaba’ imposed on him. But, it was always rejected and he was allegedly insulted. He then approached his community heads in Rajasthan for withdrawing the social boycott. But they allegedly demanded a ‘fine’ of Rs 1.25 lakh from him if he wanted to come back to the community.
Dangi then sought help from activists of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti (MANS), which has been fighting against social boycott incidents. The family along with MANS activists Nandini Jadhav and Milind Deshmukh took up the matter with the police.
The police have initiated a probe in the case.
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