Shocking: 40 families face social boycott after 15-year-old Dalit girl plucks flowers from ‘upper-caste’ land

The inhuman act of ostracising families over their caste in India continues to dent its image.  The latest case of existence of this social evil was reported from Odisha after 40 families were boycotted by villagers because a minor girl from a Dalit family plucked flowers from an “upper-caste” man's land.

Around 40 families in Odisha's Kantio Kateni village face social boycott after a minor girl from their community plucked flowers from an “upper-caste” man's farmland.

The girl plucked the flowers two months ago. The matter escalated after many confrontations, following which, 40 families connected the girl's family were subjected to social boycott.

The girl's parents also extended an apology to the village, which consists of 800 families including the 40 'Naiks' and begged the village panchayat to pardon them but to no avail.

As punishment, the families are barred from taking part in rituals and are not allowed to talk to anybody in the village. Government ration shops have been told not to give provisions and the teachers from the community are being forced to obtain a transfer, they allege.

A complaint was registered after the families approached the officials and submitted a memorandum. Officials say most of the allegations are far from the truth, but that it is true the villagers were instructed not to talk to the Naik families.