PALANPUR: The body of a 45-year-old Dalit man, who died after prolonged illness, was buried of Friday under heavy police protection after some members of the upper caste community in Vav village of Satlasana taluka of Mehsana tried to stop the procession.Police detained two bothers — Petha Chaudhary and Lala Chaudhary — who had stopped the Dalit community members, who were taking deceased Khoda Rawat’s (Senam) body to the graveyard. They were released later in the day.The upper caste members had stopped the Dalit members from going towards the graveyard saying the route they were taking pass through their land, which is a private property.Angered by the behaviour of Chaudhary brothers, the Dalit community members went to Satlasana police station with Rawat’s body and squatted there shouting slogans against the upper caste members.The taluka development officer and local police officials tried to intervene, but the Chaudhary brothers did not relent. “Eventually, the duo (Chaudhary brothers) were detained for obstructing the funeral procession,” police sub-inspector Taraba Vala of Satlasana police station said.Rawat’s body was buried under police protection. But even after they were detained, the Chaudhary brothers were adamant on not allowing the procession to move forward.“When we returned from graveyard, the Chaudharys again blocked the route,” said Dalit leader Vasant Kapadiya, who is also an advocate. “The problem still persists. There is not other way to go to the graveyard. How can we go and pay respect to the departed souls,” he addedHowever, husband of Vav village sarpanch Pachhanbhai Chaudhary said, “The land in question on route to graveyard is a disputed land. Only taluka development officer and mamlatdar can bring solution to the issue after scrutinizing the land record.”

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