HAVERI: Police officials along with tahsildar managed to defuse the tension between the upper caste and Dalit communities in Baradi village of Haveri district on Saturday, after barbers refused services to members of the Dalit community. Superintendent of Police KG Devaraj said that a team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Vijaykumar Santosh solved the Baradi village issue in a peaceful way.
As a result of quarrels between the upper caste community and the Dalits in the village, barbers refused to cut the hair of Dalits. Tension prevailed for a day after members from both these communities had a verbal tussle on Thursday. DySP Vijaykumar Santosh rushed to the spot along with Haveri tahsildar G S Shankar and Social welfare department officials and held a peace committee meeting with people of both communities at a community hall in Baradi. Giving a stern warning to those who obstruct barbers from cutting hair of people from the Dalit community, the Dy SP said that the police will take action against those who try to ruin the peace in the village. He also advised people to avoid old customs and superstition and to live like brothers in the village.
State Madiga Mahasabha Organising secretary Sanjay Gandhi of Negalur village condemned the incident and said that it was unfortunate that untouchability still existed in the village. He said that leaders from both the communities agreed to solve the problem and that it should not happen in future. The DySP said that there were no barbers in Baradi village. “Now we called and asked Kanavalli barbers to do their business in Baradi village,” he said.