On Thursday, 19 May, the Rajgarh district administration in Madhya Pradesh demolished 48 houses after attacks on Dalit weddings were reported from the area. The demolitions were carried out in the Jirapur town of the district.
Stones were pelted on the procession of a Dalit man’s wedding near the Mataji Mohalla area, under the Jirapur police station limits of Rajgarh district, on 17 May, allegedly after members of the Muslim community took objection to music being played in front of the mosque. The altercation reportedly resulted in the injury of at least five people, including one six-year-old child.
The band members, however, told police that they had stopped the music in front of the mosque following a customary practice in the area and only played it after passing the mosque.
"The locals said it was a tradition not to play any music before the mosque. The people playing the band claimed they had played the music after they had crossed the mosque. Then the trouble started."Jirapur police station in-charge Prabhat Gaud had said after the incident.
A case in connection to the incident was booked, naming six people initially but eight were arrested, and 21 other accused were identified with the help of CCTV footage, police said.
Demolitions Carried Out Post FIR
Following the FIR, the district administration issued notices to the residents of Jirapur’s ward number 4, identifying their homes as encroachment on the government land. On Thursday, the officials demolished 18 houses and another 30 were demolished partially for extending onto the public road.
Speaking to the media, Tehsildar of the Jirapur area, A R Chiraman said:
“Of the total 48 houses demolished, 18 belong to those who are accused. Another 30 are homes constructed by encroaching areas of the road leading to Mata Mandir, which is public land. They were issued notices yesterday; at least three notices have been issued in the past.”
Rajgarh district administration also carried out demolitions in the Pipaliyan Kala area under the same Jirapur police station limits where a similar attack on the wedding procession of another Dalit man was reported on 15 May.
The altercation on Sunday allegedly happened between the members of Dangi, an Other Backward Class (OBC) community, and Dalits after stones were pelted on the wedding procession of the Dalit man.
Jirapur PS in-charge, Prabhat Gaud, had told media that the Dalit family had given an appointment earlier and the accused tried to target police as well but couldn't succeed.
Prabhat Gaud said:
"The groom's family had given an appointment for the marriage. Some miscreants tried to attack the wedding procession and stones were also pelted. We have registered a complaint against 22 people with names. We have also arrested five people in connection to the same."
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