Bardibas, October 15:

The so-called upper caste people of Nainhi VDC-8 in Mahottari district have imposed blockade against the Dalit families of the VDC.

The people of the so-called upper caste community have been imposing blockade against the Dalit people for the last five days for not playing Dhol during the Dashain festival.

People of the Chamar community said they had been prohibited to go to public places, participate in social works and use public tap in the village by the people of the upper castes.

“Our ancestors used to play Dhol during the Dashain festival and we also continued the tradition for some time. But we are no longer interested to continue the tradition and we also don’t have time,” people from the community, who had come to the Mahottari District Police Office to seek justice, said.

A member of the Yadav community said they had requested people from the Dalit community to play Dhol just to continue the tradition and not to belittle them.

“We had to ostracise them as they did not heed to our request and instead quarrelled with us,” he added.

The district administration office has been trying to foster harmony between the two sides through dialogue.

A local human rights activist has also been mediating between the two sides. Police said that legal action would be taken against people involved in imposing blockaded against the people from Dalit community if the ongoing dialogue failed.