BHOPAL: A man and his wife, who had married out of their castes in the backward region of Damoh in Bundelkhand region, have sought police protection for them and their children.Hemraj Khatik, who had married Pinki Sahu seven years ago, said community panchayat threatens him and his family. “I have been requesting police for help for long, but in vain,” he said.Many places of the state, including Gwalior and Chambal region, are no stranger to community panchayats issuing edicts. They are also active in tribal-dominated districts of the state. Last month, a kangaroo court issued diktat to kill a girl after a marriage in Chokhuti village of Morena district. The only mistake committed by the couple was they belonged to the same gotra A resident of Hataa village, Hemraj Khatik, a temporary employee in a local municipality , was ostracised by a community panchayat just because he got married to Pinki Sahu, a girl from the other community. He said after the marriage, five villagers —Jagdish Khatik, Prakash, Vinod, Ramesh and Sachin Khatik — of the community panchayat issued a diktat against him. Members of community panchayat, however, denied any such diktat“Earlier, they would not allow me to participate in any community programme. I was not invited to any function or religious programme organised by the community. Now, they are discriminating against my children and abusing them,” he said.He said local MLA Uma Devi Khatik is his close relative. “She helps me a lot, but when it comes to community matter, she refuses to help me,” he said. He said he had lodged a complaint at a local police station in the past, but there was no help. On June 12, he met SP Vivek Agrawal during the jan sunwai (public hearing) at his office.“I have not received any help so far,” he said. When contacted, the SP said, “He has instructed local police station to look into the issue.”

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