Mandi (Munish Sood)
The pradhan of Bhambla gram panchayat in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district has been accused of using casteist slurs against a resident of Bhadrol village. The local police have registered a case and commenced an investigation into the allegations.
Soma Devi, the complainant, alleged that her son entered into an inter-caste marriage with a woman from the Jahu area in December 2024. Following the marriage, she said, the pradhan, accompanied by five other persons, visited Soma Devi’s residence multiple times.
During these visits, they allegedly intimidated and threatened the family. In January, the pradhan allegedly threatened to abduct Soma Devi’s granddaughter and harm her son and daughter-in-law. Additionally, she alleged, casteist slurs were used to harass the family, leaving them in a state of fear.
Sarkaghat Deputy Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Gautam confirmed that a case had been registered against the pradhan at Hatli police station based on Soma Devi’s complaint. He said he was overseeing the investigation, and that further action was underway.
Previous similar incidents in Himachal Pradesh
This is not an isolated incident as there have been previous cases in Himachal Pradesh where persons faced legal consequences for caste-based offenses:
- Kullu (February 2018): Three persons, including a school headmaster, were arrested for allegedly discriminating against Dalit students by making them sit separately during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ programme. The accused were later granted bail.
- Kullu (April 2019): Seven villagers were booked under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for preventing the cremation of a Dalit woman at a common cremation ground in Dhara village of Fozal valley.
- Chamba (June 2023): A 22-year-old Dalit man was brutally murdered, allegedly in an honor killing case, leading to the arrest of eight persons. The incident sparked protests, with demands for a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the matter.
- Shimla (September 2024): A former Director General of Police (DGP) and nine other police officers were booked for allegedly harassing and dismissing a Dalit constable on fabricated charges.
