AGRA: Nizampur village of Kasganj district , which had been in news for last six months after local Thakur community allegedly threatened to disrupt a Dalit wedding , saw a grand wedding on Sunday in the presence of heavy police force.According to the district administration, Sanjay Jatav, the Dalit groom who hails from neighboring district of Hathras, was received by Kasganj police personnel at the border of the two districts, from where he was escorted in an unprecedented security cover to the village.Kasganj sub-divisional magistrate, Devendra Pratap Singh told TOI, "Over 350 police personnel from six police stations along with PAC accompanied by one ASP (Pavitra Mohan Tripathi) and two circle officers (Gavendar Pal Gautam of Sadar and Pradeep Kumar of Sahawar) provided security to the Dalit family during the wedding procession(baraat). Armed policemen were deployed atop houses on the entire baraat route, to ensure peaceful wedding."Apart from police, additional district magistrate Rakesh Kumar, along with SDM Devendra Pratap Singh and Naib tehsildar Kirti Chaudhary too were present since morning to monitor the situation in the village.According to police sources, "The police personnel were deployed since Saturday and local intelligence unit sleuths were keeping tab on the local villagers' movement. Metal detectors too were deployed to frisk the guest attending the wedding ceremony."Ajay (who goes by first name), a local resident who witnessed Sanjay’s baraat arrival to Nizampur village, said, "We never saw such a tight security for a wedding. The entire stretch from Hathras-Kasganj border to Nizampur village was marked by armed police personnel."Sunil Singh, another resident said, "All the upper caste men either had locked themselves inside their home along with women, or had left the village for a day due to the presence of heavy police force. The baraat took the tour of village on the pre-decided route which passed via Thakur community homes. Sanjay too arrived on a chariot."Speaking to TOI, Sanjay Jatav said, "We fought against all odds to just earn respect, dignity and equality for our community. Neither I nor my community were against the Thakur community, but were against the idea of prejudice and bias on the base of caste."Sheetal, the groom said, "In the past four decades, the Dalit community members in Nizampur were attacked thrice by the upper caste men, whenever they tried to take out a wedding procession march in the village. I’m happy, that my husband's efforts have finally broken the age old tradition of Thakur men suppressing the Dalit community."

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