Police provide security to victim family in gotra row

ROHTAK - In the wake of tension prevailing due to a gotra (sub-caste) row in village Kheri of this Haryana district, the local police have provided security cover to the family of Satish Berwal, who had married a girl from the same gotra.

“We have deployed five cops outside Satish’s house as there is a possibility that some villagers might attack the family members. We are keeping a watch on every development and we are ready to tackle any emergency situation,” a police official told IANS here Wednesday.

Village panchayat (council), in its over six-hour meeting Saturday, had directed Satish to end his marriage with Kavita, and to start living as “brother and sister”.

The couple was married three years ago and they also have a 10-month-old son Ronak.

Sensing trouble, Satish’s family had sent Kavita to her parents’ house in Bhagi village in Jhajjar district, last week.

The panchayat had also directed Satish’s father Azad Singh to disinherit his son from all the property and belongings and deposit Rs.300,000 in the name of his grandson in a bank.

Haryana panchayats are known for such decisions related to inter-caste marriages.

Meanwhile, a higher panchayat, Meham Chaubisi, has already come forward to the rescue of the couple and they have called their meeting Feb 9.

“We will not allow anybody to ruin the life of the couple. The verdict of the panchayat is illogical. We will decide the further course of action in our next meeting Feb 9,” said Randhir Singh, chief of Meham Chaubisi.