Dalit groom takes out wedding procession under police cover

Fearing a backlash from a section of villagers, a Dalit groom Friday took out his wedding procession under police protection in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat, said an official.

The groom's family members, residents of Sitvada under Prantij taluka, had decided to seek police protection after some non-Dalit residents objected to their plan to take out the procession through the village, said village leader Ranjitsinh Rathod.

According to the police, protection was provided to the Dalit groom's wedding procession and the event passed off peacefully.

"Scheduled Caste members of Sitvada had apprehension that something wrong would happen if they take out the procession through the village.

"That is why they called us to provide protection. The wedding procession passed peacefully under police deployment in the village," said police inspector of Prantij, K S Brahmbhatt.

According to Rathod, some villagers had earlier asked the Dalit family not to take out the wedding procession.

"Some of the villagers had objected to the Dalit family's plan of taking out the wedding procession. The matter was resolved amicably during a meeting last night.

"However, the family called the police today as they might be having some apprehension (about backlash)," said Rathod, the husband of village sarpanch Ramaba Rathod.

The development came just a day after a village in Mehsana district announced boycott of Dalits after a groom from the SC community decided to ride a horse on the occasion of his wedding.