Priest stops Dalit man from entering temple in Kutch, held

In yet another case of caste-based discrimination, a priest allegedly stopped a Dalit man to enter a temple in Nakhtrada area in Kutch district of Gujarat, an official confirmed on Sunday.

The incident came into light after a video of the incident went viral on social media.

However, the victim denied lodging a formal complaint as per a decision that was taken by prominent people of the village.

"The family is not ready to lodge a formal complaint after prominent figures of Scheduled Caste and other villagers decided to not approach authorities to maintain harmony in the society," Kutch Resident Assistant District Collector Kuldeep Singh Jhala said.

Officials have visited the area and recorded the statement of the victim, he said.

Police have taken the priest into custody and investigating the case.