Strife diffused in Rajasthan village

Heavy police force was deployed Tuesday in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district to diffuse the situation after a panchayat ostracised members of 13 Dalit families on suspicion that they were involved in thefts.

The panchayat's diktat led to simmering anger in Shyopur village in Bhilwara district, 270 km from Jaipur. The 13 ostracised families of the Nayak Bhopa community are classified as Scheduled Caste and were living in the village for the last five to seven years.

"Members of the Dalit families approached a district administration officer yesterday (Monday) that the panchayat in Shyopur village ostracised them Aug 1. The panchayat members were forcing all of them to leave the village suspecting that they were involved in thefts," said a police officer.

Some members of the families left the village Monday and stayed in nearby Negaon village.

"We controlled the situation and the matter has been resolved. The families have come back and are living peacefully," said Jai Prakash Narain, dub-divisional magistrate of Asind tehsil.

"As a precautionary measure we have deployed police in the village and have provided security to these families," said Narain.

The village has 120 families of different communities.