Case primary details

Fact finding date

Case Incident details

Case summary

My name is Devappa Talawar, aged 38 years. I am a resident of Shakhapur village, Shorapur Taluk, Yadgir District, Karnataka. I earn my livelihood by working as a daily-wage labourer. In our village, certain traditional practices have been followed for many years in connection with funerals. According to these practices, when a person belonging to the Holeya community dies, members of a particular community are expected to dig the burial pit, while Madiga community members are expected to play the traditional drum (tamate) during the funeral. These practices have been followed in the village as customary rules for a long time. Recently, a young woman belonging to the Valmiki community from our village passed away. I was asked to come and dig the burial pit for her funeral. However, I refused to participate in the activity. Following my refusal, two days later, some village leaders and members of the dominant/upper-caste community allegedly came together and assaulted me. They also imposed a social boycott/exclusion on me because I had refused to follow the customary practice. I did not agree to the social boycott imposed against me. The following day, while I was at my home, some of the same persons came to my house and called me outside. When I came outside, they allegedly assaulted me. When my family members came out of the house after hearing the commotion and tried to find out what was happening, they were also assaulted by the accused persons at different places on their bodies. The incident caused fear and distress to me and my family. I believe that I was targeted and assaulted because I refused to follow the traditional caste-based practice imposed by certain people in the village. The social boycott and physical assault have affected my family's safety, dignity, and ability to live peacefully in the village. I request the concerned authorities to take appropriate legal action against the persons responsible for the assault, social boycott, and intimidation, and to ensure the safety and protection of my family.