A large number of policemen have been posted near the Dalit houses of Daula village on Tuesday after a panchayat threatened to ‘abduct' all Dalit women as an act of revenge over a Dalit youth eloping with an upper caste girl.
23-year-old Sanjay, son of Kanchi, a poor Dalit residing in Daula village adjoining Greater Noida fell in love with a 20-year-old girl from Maicha village belonging to an upper caste. Sanjay studied BA in MMH College, Ghaziabad while the girl (name withheld) was studying in Mihir Bhoj Degree College in Dadri. The two fell in love while going to college, and later Sanjay joined as a teacher in Shiv Charan Sr. Secondary School in the girl's village.
On June 24, Sanjay got a threatening phone call from one of the girl's relatives, after which the couple vanished. Sanjay's father reported the matter to SP Dehat.
On July 1, a panchayat was called in which ‘panch' from Maicha, Mandpa and Daula villages took part. The panchayat issued a threat to the boy's family to produce both of them within 24 hours otherwise the womenfolk from Dalit houses would be abducted.
On hearing the panchayat's Taliban-like ‘firman', the Dalit families sent their womenfolk away from the village fearing reprisals. On Monday, the panchayat met again and warned the Dalits to produce the lover couple or face consequences. The panchayat threatened to ‘shoot-at-sight' the lover couple.
Initially, the local police was unwilling to take action, but later registered a case under sections 506 and 147 IPC against the panchayat leaders, who are now absconding.
There is palpable tension in both the Daula and Maicha villages. SSP A K Singh has promised to take firm action against the panchayat leaders, but the later have sent messages saying that they will not ‘bow' at any cost.
