Mahottari, November 9:

People from the Chamar community in three wards of Pokharbhinda Sangrampur VDC of Mahottari are facing hard times these days after the ‘upper caste’ people denied them access to drinking water taps and ponds and denied them work in paddy fields after the Chamars refused to dispose off carcasses.

The ‘upper caste’ people have even imposed a restriction on the movement of the Chamars.

The restriction is in place since October 24 in Ward Nos. 5, 6 and 7 of the VDC after a member of the Chamar community, Rasbihari, lodged a complaint with the police against the excesses of the upper caste people.

The so-called upper caste people also beat up a member of the Chamar community, Jitiram, after he refused to dispose the carcass of a lamb belonging to Rudal Yadav of the VDC.

Jiti Mahara, one of the affected people, said he feeds tube well water to his cattle as he was denied access to the nearby pond.

When Rudal Yadav, a member of the ‘upper caste’ people was contacted for comment, he refused to do so. He said he can’t comment on the incident as it was related to the whole village. The Chamars, however, have not approached the police administration for help yet.