Dhar, Madhya Pradesh: In a disturbing incident of caste discrimination, a man was arrested in Lohri village, Dhar district, for barring Dalits from entering a temple he built on his private land. The accused, Prahlad Vishwakarma, had put up a signboard declaring the temple as private property and explicitly stating, “Dalits will not be allowed to enter the temple.”
The incident came to light on Wednesday, July 19, when members of the Dalit community and Bhim Army staged a protest near the temple. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Devendra Patidar said the Kukshi police intervened promptly, mediating with the protesters to restore calm.
Vishwakarma was arrested under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Following his arrest, he publicly apologized for his discriminatory action and removed the board.
This is not an isolated incident. Earlier, on July 10, a 23-year-old Dalit man, Bittu Ram Bagat, was reportedly attacked with burning sticks in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district after entering the Chandi Mata Mandir to offer prayers.
These incidents highlight the ongoing challenges faced by marginalized communities in accessing equal rights to worship and social inclusion.