Chennai: Just days after a Dalit family was penalised since their 4-year-old kid entered a temple in Kustagi in Karnataka, another similar incident of discrimation against Dalits was reported in a Karnataka temple. Recently, a Dalit man was forced to arrange for a feast to the villagers at the cost of Rs 11,000 for entering Lakshmi Devi temple in Karatagi.
Speaking to PTI, Superintendent of Police T Sreedhara said, the incident of a man forced to spend Rs 11,000 to arrange for a feast for entering a temple in Karnataka is true and police personnel are investigating the matter.
He said, the Dalit man entered the temple 11 days ago but the incident came to the knowlege of the caste Hindus only on Friday following which the priest forced the man to organise the feast. Earlier, the caste Hindus demanded Rs 5 lakh from the man to purify the temple but later settled for the feast, said a report in The Hindu.
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The village members reportedly denied entry into the temple for the people after there was a case of theft reported in the village a few months ago. Following this, the village heads decided to permit none except the priest into the temple. However, the Dalit man visited the temple since he had complete a few rituals.
Meanwhile, the family of a 4-year-old boy was fined after the toddler who was taken to Hanuman temple by his father on his birthday ran inside the temple. This soon became an issue since the caste Hindus thought that the temple was desecrated. The caste Hindus held a meeting on September 11 and told the parents of the kid to pay Rs 23,000 as fine for purifying the temple.