10 booked for socially boycotting family in Mandwa village

Nagpur: Police have registered an offence against at least 10 persons for allegedly ordering social boycott of a 32-year-old man and his family in Mandwa village in Bhivapur tehsil of Nagpur district following cancellation of marriage, an official from Nagpur rural police said on Thursday.
The man identified as Vijay Rathod, on Thursday lodged a complaint at Bhivapur police station, alleging humiliation by a group of villagers, who were forcing him to pay compensation for cancellation of marriage in 2020, the police said.
Those who have been booked included Dawla Jadhav (Naik), Jhuma Meghawat, Tarachand Meghawat, Sdaram Chavan, Kisan Pawar, Balashaeb Rathod, Devram Rathod, Bahadur Rathod, Nelsingh Pawar and Chelsingh Pawar, all residents of Mandwa.
Police said the victim got engaged to a woman from his community in February 2020 and the marriage was fixed in May 2020. However, due to Corona induced lockdown, it got postponed before getting cancelled in December 2020. However, the woman’s relatives demanded Rs70,000 from him as compensation, which Rathod refused to pay and instead expressed his willingness to marry the same woman.
However, the members of the local community allegedly tried to pressurize him to pay the money. But when he refused, 10 members of their community boycotted the complainant and his family in a meeting held last year.
After the meeting, the complainant’s family was not allowed to speak to any person belonging to their community, visit the temple or attend any functions or celebrations of the community members at the village.
Police said, based on Rathod’s complaint, an offence was registered against the 10 persons under sections of the Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act,2016, and under various IPC sections.