Acquitted by HC, but panchayat throws tribal clan out

Today, the Gametis, a clan comprising 132 members of 27 families, are on the run from their own people. Most of them have taken refuge in the hills of Salumbar; others have fled to relatives in far away villages. ‘‘Their tormentors believe in the ancient tribal rule of a life for a life. The rehabilitation of the Gametis would come at a huge cost — the sacrifice of a life,’’ said Udaipur University professor C.D. Ola.

Also the spokesperson for the local unit of the CPI(ML), Ola has been fighting with the local administration for the rights of the displaced Gametis. ‘‘There are 40 kids and nearly 50 women in the clan. With food and water available 4-5 km from their hideout, life has become miserable for the Gametis. The kids have been forced to terminate their education,’’ he said.

The nightmare of the Gametis began in 1998 when Kalu Gameti, one of the members of the clan, was killed because of a property dispute. Dhola and his three brothers, the prime accused in the case, were arrested. But after a string of legal battles, the four were acquitted by the HC some time back. The Morela panchayat, dominated by the Gameti Meenas, however, refused to accept the judgment and handed down its own punishment to Dhola’s clan.

Ola claimed the framing of the Gametis was part of a plan to usurp the 140 bighas of land they possessed. Udaipur SP M.N. Dinesh, who has taken up the case afresh, said the panchayat has an old system of bair (enmity), which is supreme for them. ‘‘If they think someone is guilty of murder, they turn him out of the society. He is rehabilitated only on paying the compensation decided by the panchayat. They do not brook any external intervention,’’ he said.

He said the administration’s attempts to rehabilitate the Gametis have failed. ‘‘More than 5,000 tribals surround the police every time we try to enter the village. Recently, one person was killed in firing in the melee,’’ he said.

Ola said the administration is also to be blamed. ‘‘The administration erased every trace of their existence. Their names have been struck off the ration cards and voting lists,’’ he said. SP Dinesh said the administration would make another attempt to put the Gametis back in the mainstream and reclaim their land. ‘‘We are banking on a compromise,’’ he said.