20160531 India Tribals set sarpanch’s house on fire in Kalahandi
India May 30 2016 “Houses”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 0 or unknown Injured : injured 1 to 9
Tribals set sarpanch’s house on fire in Kalahandi
Updated: 2016-05-31-06:07
A woman sarpanch belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) of Kalahandi district on Monday was at the receiving end of a mob fury because her husband eloped with a tribal girl.
Angry tribals gheraoed the sarpanch’s house at Dungripali, about 7 km from here, and set it ablaze. They also torched a four-wheeler, a motorcycle and a trolley parked there. The sarpanch, her husband, other family members and the girl in the centre of the controversy fled the village following the attack, police said.
Bhawanipatna sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Biranchi Narayan Dehuri said tension mounted in the area when the sarpanch’s husband, Doctor Harpal, 45, returned home on Sunday along with the 28-year-old girl. The duo had fled the village about a month ago. “The girl belongs to the same village. The tribals could not accept a girl of their community staying with a SC family,” the SDPO said.
He said police met the girl, taking shelter in a nearby village, and she denied being kidnapped by Harpal. “I went on my own. There was no coercion,” the SDPO quoted the girl as saying.
He said police took prompt action after getting reports about the attack on the sarpanch’s house. “The fire brigade rushed to the spot and doused the fire. We have deployed forces in the area to avert further law and order situation,” the SDPO said, adding a sub-inspector was injured while dispersing the mob.
He said Harpal has been detained. “We will take action against those who took law into their own hands,” he added.
Web Source: THE TIMES OF INDIA
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Tribals-set-sarpanchs-house-on-fire-in-Kalahandi/articleshow/52512894.cms