A video of the incident in Seoni district goes viral prompting police to register case against three persons
NEW DELHI — A Dalit family in Seoni district of Madhya Pradesh faced caste humiliation as they were prevented from entering a Durga Puja pandal during the ongoing Navratri celebrations. The family was subjected to casteist slurs and misbehaviour as well.
According to reports reaching here on Friday, the incident took place in Sadak Seoni village under Chapara police station limits where some dominant villagers hurled abuses at the Dalit family. A video of the incident has also surfaced, showing an elderly man standing with a stick and intimidating them.
According to the complaint filed by Shyamlal Ahirwar, a daily-wage labourer, he had gone to the public Durga pandal at Durga Chowk on Wednesday along with his wife and son to participate in the worship. However, some dominant villagers confronted the family and told them bluntly, “You cannot worship here.”
The harassment did not stop there. Shyamlal alleged that while returning from work in the fields, one of the accused, Mehrban Singh Thakur, stopped him and warned him against entering the pandal. Later, when he tried to donate money, two others — Naresh Thakur and Narayan Yadav — refused his contribution and hurled casteist abuses, threatening him with dire consequences. Even his nephew was humiliated when he attempted to offer a donation and was allegedly pushed down from the stage.
The victim recorded parts of the incident on his mobile phone. After the video went viral, police registered a case against three persons. Superintendent of Police Sunil Mehta confirmed that a criminal case has been filed and arrests will follow soon. media reports said.
The Seoni incident highlights a troubling reality: despite constitutional safeguards, India’s caste divide still denies Dalits access to spaces of worship and equal citizenship. The outrage over the viral video shows society’s discomfort, but real change, critics argue, will require more than outrage — it will need justice, accountability, and social reform.
