39 families in Nizamabad village face social boycott

Nizamabad: Victimsfrom 49 families—comprising 39 Gowda and 10 Dalit households—in Tallarampur village of Yergatla mandal have lodged a formal complaint with the police alleging that the Village Development Committee (VDC) has imposed severe social restrictions against them.

According to the complaint, villagers have been ordered not to interact with members of these families, and local grocery stores have been forbidden from selling provisions to them. The victims alleged that a fine of Rs 25,000 has been imposed against anyone who violates these diktats.

Livelihood disputes at the core

The dispute reportedly stems from demands made by the VDC requiring the Gowda community, who are traditionally involved in toddy tapping, to pay an annual fee to the committee. Disagreements over these payments have previously led to similar ostracisation, according to the affected families.

Earlier, following a police case regarding the same issue, the District Judge had personally visited Tallarampur to educate the villagers on legal rights and constitutional protections.

During the visit, authorities explicitly warned that taking the law into one’s own hands would invite strict legal action.

Questions over VDC authority

The recurrence of social boycott allegations in a village where judicial authorities directly intervened has sparked widespread debate. The incident brings to light crucial questions regarding whether a Village Development Committee possesses any legal sanction to enforce social boycotts, restrict livelihoods, or impose monetary penalties on residents.

Police are currently investigating the complaint to ascertain the facts and determine the roles of those involved. Legal action is expected to follow under applicable statutes if the allegations are substantiated by evidence.

Meanwhile, the fresh allegations have left locals questioning the enforcement of the rule of law, given that previous warnings from top judicial officers failed to prevent the recurrence of such extra-judicial sanctions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Praveen Rao

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