Pipaliya Station (Madhya Pradesh): A Dalit woman from Kangatti village of Malhargar tehsil in Mandsaur district has accused the village authorities of demolishing her hut and imprisoning her husband over refusal to pay a Rs 2 lakh bribe and rejecting immoral demands.
Karibai, the complainant, stated that she and her husband, Dashrath Bawari, have been living below the poverty line with their five daughters in a hut on Malhargarh Road for the past 20 years. She alleged that the sarpanch and district panchayat member threatened them with eviction and used casteist slurs. Despite reporting the issue to local authorities, no action was taken to prevent the demolition.
Meanwhile, the sarpanch and the district panchayat member dismissed the allegations as false, stating that the demolition was a result of an order to remove illegal encroachments, issued eight months prior due to complaints from the villagers. They assert that the location is intended for a Saraswati Shishu Mandir and that Dashrath Bawari had encroached on multiple government properties.
Farmer leader condemns action
Farmer leader Shyamlal Jokchand criticised the government's actions, stating that the administration's claims of supporting the poor and farmers are hollow. He alleged that the authorities selectively target the poor, while ignoring encroachments by influential individuals. Jokchand demanded that the Chief Minister take action against the officials responsible for demolishing the labourer's hut.
Husband jailed
Pipaliyamandi police station in-charge Neeraj Sarwan confirmed that the tehsildar's team removed the encroachment on Thursday and upon receiving a complaint, the police arrested Dashrath Bawari under section 151, subsequently presenting him in tehsil court and sending him to jail. Attempts to contact Malhargarh tehsildar Brajesh Malviya were unsuccessful.
