Dalit couple marries amid police security in MP

A Dalit couple in Maana village here tied knot under police protection after some people from the upper caste warned them against a traditional 'baraat' in their marriage.
Teams of three police stations from Susner tehsil of the district were deployed at Maana, about 40 kms from here, to provide protection to the marriage procession on Sunday, sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) G S Dabar told PTI today.
Chandar Meghwal had filed a police complaint that some villagers from the upper caste had warned him against taking out a procession on the marriage of his daughter, Mamta on April 23, Dabar said.

He also feared some untoward incident in the marriage ceremony.
"Acting on the complaint, we pressed police force and district administration into action to avoid any untoward incident," the SDM said, adding that Meghwal did not name any particular person in his complaint.
"We held discussions with the villagers (who belonged to the upper caste) soon after receiving the complaint. We warned them of strict action, if they resort to such actions," said Dabar, who also camped in village during the marriage.

The police team along with district administration officials also stayed in the village as a precautionary measure, he said.

Meghwal in his complaint said that Dalit families are not allowed to decorate their house or use musical bands during the marriage procession or ceremonies in the village since Independence.
There are about 50 Dalit families in the village of about 2,000 people.