Thirty years after being excommunicated from the Joshi community, a widow recently filed a case against it in the Lasalgaon police station. However, the case will now be transferred to the Gangapur police station in Nashik where the first case against discrimination was filed.
Widow Maltibai Garad, who was from another community, and her deceased husband Ganpat (from the Joshi community) had been excommunicated 30 years ago when they got married. When Ganesh died five years ago, the community members were even asked to stay away from the final rites. It was only with the help of a few sympathetic neighbours, that Ganpat’s final rites were completed.
Speaking to The Asian Age, Maltibai said that when she approached the police to file a complaint, she was not allowed to do so by the Lasalgaon police, and was instead asked to come the next day. She continued to go there for the next four days, but was never entertained and sent back. Finally, it was only with the pressure put by Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti (ANS) leader Krishna Chandgude and others, who also threatened that a demonstration would be carried out, that a case was registered.
PI N.S. Mainkar of Lasalgaon police station said that they were not registering the case earlier because it was not in their jurisdiction. “The crime has been committed in Nashik city. However, we have taken her statement and sent it to Gangapur Road police station for further action,” Mr Mainkar said.
It may be recalled that the Joshi caste panchayat has excommunicated several families who have married outside their community. One man from the Joshi community even murdered his daughter before she could deliver her baby. Another victim, Anna Nawsa Hingmire, claimed that he had been told to murder his daughter or disown her when she married a man from another community. However, Mr Hingmire complained to the police. On July 4, the police arrested six panchayat members, who are all highly connected.
The members were sent to judicial custody on July 8, and were later rearrested by the Aurangabad Cidco police for another excommunication case. Meanwhile, ANS activists staged a morcha in Nashik on July 6.