Nearly 100 policemen stood guard and protected a Dalit bridegroom, who wanted to ride a horse to his wedding, and ensured there was no trouble or objection from upper caste people on Thursday in Neemuch district, police said.
Police personnel did a flag march before the wedding procession of Rahul Meghwal, a resident of Sarsi village of the district.
“The father of the bridegroom, Fakirchand Meghwal, had sought police protection a few days ago for his son Rahul who was the first person from the scheduled caste committee of the village to have booked a horse for the wedding procession,” said Kanhaiyalal Dangi, town inspector Manasa.
“As many as 100 police personnel were deployed in the village on Wednesday to keep a watch on the law and order situation,” Dangi said.
A local Bahujan Samaj Party leader Radheshyam Commander said, “History was created in the village as people from the scheduled caste committee were afraid of riding a horse in the village to their wedding. A few goons of the village used to stop them from riding a horse so we requested police protection.”
Earlier, on Sunday, some villagers in Ganiyari village of Sagar district attacked the house of Dalit groom Dilip Ahirwar for riding a horse. Ahirwar rode a horse during a wedding procession called Racch under police protection but later in the night; about 20 people attacked his house and pelted stones. The police have booked 20 people under relevant sections of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and arrested six of them.
