A man has been arrested for allegedly forcing a newly married Dalit couple out of a temple in a village in Tumakuru district, police said on Sunday.
The incident took place at the Arasamma temple in Juni Tumakuru village in Turuvikere taluk, the district where state Home Minister G Parameshwara resides. The couple, known as Pankaja and Puneeth, had gone to the temple after their wedding to seek blessings when they were confronted by a man named Narayanappa.
According to police, Narayanappa allegedly pretended to be possessed and started shouting at the couple, preventing them from entering the temple. In a video of the incident, he was allegedly heard saying: “Dalits cannot enter the temple. Go and perform puja elsewhere. Leave immediately.”
The couple later went to the police station, officials said. “Jagadish, Pankaja’s younger brother, lodged a complaint with the Turuvikere police. Based on the complaint, the police registered a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and arrested Narayanappa,” a senior police officer said.
The FIR also names several other people who have been accused of supporting the act of untouchability. The police said they were looking for the rest of the accused.
In response to the incident, Tahasildar NA Kunhi Ahmed and his deputy SP Omprakash held a peace meeting that brought together Dalits and other villagers, and officials used the occasion to raise awareness that untouchability is a punishable crime.
