The Odisha Dalit Adivasi Sangathan and the State Ambedkar Lohia Bichara Mancha on Thursday gave a memorandum to the district Collector here against inaction of the police in a harassment case against about 30 Dalit family members by the upper caste villagers in the district. The 30 victim families also threatened to launch a dharna before the district collectorate from February 8, demanding swift action against the perpetrators.
According to sources, the Dalit families were debarred from accessing basic facilities by the dominant caste people at Chhanagiri village in Khordha district in October last year. The matter flared up after a resident of the village lodged a complaint at Jankia police station against a few members of the dominant caste families.
According to the complaint, the dominant families of the villages restricted the Dalits from taking water from the common well and their children taking education in local schools and tuition. After receiving the complaint, the police had registered a case on October 29, 2018. However, the police took no action against the accused afterwards.