3 min readRanchiFeb 1, 2026 05:14 PM IST
First published on: Feb 1, 2026 at 05:14 PM IST
Calling it a case of “complete violation of constitutional rights”, the Jharkhand High Court has rejected anticipatory bail pleas of three accused allegedly involved in the social and economic boycott of the Paharia community, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), in Sahibganj. The court also slammed the police for allowing a “parallel administration” to run freely for months.
The court was hearing an appeal filed by three men seeking anticipatory bail in connection with a March 2025 FIR registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The case relates to an incident in Jharkhand’s Sahibganj district, where adivasis from the Paharia community were allegedly stopped from celebrating Holi and later subjected to social boycott.
According to the FIR, the incident occurred on March 14, 2025, when some people were celebrating Holi with music. A group of men allegedly arrived armed with lathis and sticks, forced the music to be stopped, threatened villagers and abused a woman using caste-based slurs.
The attackers allegedly warned that the community couldn’t celebrate their festivals and told shopkeepers, doctors, and others not to provide them with food, medical help, or water.
The court noted that the alleged boycott went far beyond the initial incident. Witness statements recorded in the case diary indicated that shopkeepers were allegedly threatened with fines of Rs 10,000 if they sold ration to Paharia families, doctors were warned against providing treatment, children were prevented from attending schools and anganwadi centres, and even access to government water taps was blocked. “A government well was allegedly damaged to stop the community from drawing water, leaving families on the verge of starvation for days,” the court noted.
Even though the accused said they weren’t named in the FIR and that everything was resolved, the court dismissed the joint compromise petition.
The court pointed out that even 10 months after the FIR was lodged, not a single accused had been arrested, and termed it “complete negligence” on the part of the investigating officer and senior police officials of Sahibganj district.
The court observed that some accused and others appeared to be “running a parallel administration” by issuing blanket directions affecting the everyday lives of the Paharia community, “in utter violation of constitutional rights”.
The court directed the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Superintendent of Police (SP) of Sahibganj to immediately ensure the safety of the adivasis and restore access to basic amenities.
It also ordered the Director General of Police and the Home Department to monitor compliance and ensure the supply of food grains, drinking water and other essentials. Copies of the order were directed to be sent to the Chief Secretary and multiple state departments, including tribal welfare and women and child welfare, for urgent action.
The court was hearing an appeal filed by three men seeking anticipatory bail in connection with a March 2025 FIR registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. (File Photo) 
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