The police arrested sixteen people from a village in Medak district on Tuesday for allegedly enforcing a social boycott on a Dalit family after they refused to play the 'Dappu', a traditional percussion instrument, during village ceremonies.
The family, from the Madiga community (Scheduled Castes), faced ostracism after they declined to continue their hereditary occupation of playing the Dappu during funerals and other ceremonies in the village. Two brothers from the family, who are postgraduates and employed in Hyderabad, were being pressured by some villagers, including individuals from their own community, to resume the traditional role, as per a report on PTI. However, the brothers refused to comply.
The village's Upa Sarpanch, accused of discriminatory practices, also reportedly denied permission to the family to construct a house and access basic utilities such as a water connection, according to the police.
On September 10, several villagers held a meeting and passed a resolution to enforce the social boycott on the family, following the brothers’ refusal to continue playing the Dappu. The resolution included a fine of Rs 5,000 for anyone who disobeyed the village’s directive.
The family subsequently lodged a formal complaint with the police, resulting in the registration of a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Protection of Civil Rights Act on September 12.
So far, sixteen people have been arrested in connection with the case, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend fifteen others who remain at large, a senior police official told PTI.
Following the incident, the brothers also moved the Telangana High Court, which directed the police to provide protection to the family. On Monday, the Medak District Collector and Superintendent of Police visited the village to address the situation. They held a meeting with the villagers, counseling them against such discriminatory practices and enforcing the social boycott.