Pune: Family from Kanjarbhat Community Ostracised, Forced To Face Social Boycott Over Property Dispute

Pune, December 4, 2020: A woman from Pune has alleged that her family has been forced to face ‘social boycott’ after they refused to let a ‘jaat (caste) panchayat’ resolve a property dispute.

Suhani alias Rita Kumbhar (32), a resident of Dhankawadi, has lodged an FIR with Saswad Police Station, Pune Rural Police, in this case against seven people, including the members of the jaat panchayat.

Rita’s father had succumbed to the COVID-19 infection in August this year due to which the property issues surfaced.

According to Rita’s husband Vikas, Rita’s father had a property which had been rented out to some people. After his death, his wife Nanda started collecting rent in his stead. Rita’s father had an extramarital affair and had fathered two children due to which there were property disputes.

According to the FIR, Nanda was being summoned by the members of the jaat panchayat in the past two months to solve the property related issues. However, things took an ugly turn when Nanda refused to attend the meeting, Suresh Binavat, one of the accused, got angry and verbally abused Nanda due to which her health deteriorated.

Rita, upon knowing what happened with her mother, recorded a video in which she abused Suresh Binavat. Meanwhile, Suresh instantly issued a jaahir notice after the video had been circulated. The notice directed Rita and her sister to apologize to the ‘Bhatu Samaj’ in a meeting or else they will have to face serious consequences.

In the meeting which took place on November 3 at Garade Village, the Bhatu Samaj had allegedly issued a notice to boycott Rita’s family. The diktat was recorded and circulated amongst various Whatsapp groups.

In the video, the panchayat members can be heard saying, “If the family wants to be accepted into the community, they will have to pay a sum of Rs one lakh, five male goats and five liquor bottles or else they will be boycotted forever.”

In the videos, the accused has also stated that women have absolutely no rights over their ancestral properties and if they seek legal help, they will face social boycott.

Police have booked the accused identified as Suresh Binavat, Sampat Binavat, Nandu Rajput, Anand Binavat, Munna Kachravat, Devanand Kumbhar and Devidas Chavan under the provisions of the Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2016.