21, Jan 2016

Jan 21, 2016 – Aftab Khan |
• Nashik

A jat (caste) panchayat in rural Maharashtra had allegedly asked a villager to allow members of the panchayat to rape his wife if he is unable to repay the loan taken from the panchayat. Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti had come out in support of the complainant couple. However, there is no official complaint filed in the case with any police station.
Later on Wednesday evening, the Gondhali jat panchayat apologised to the family and asked them to return to the village. Panch member Sham Ugale told The Asian Age, “It was a lack of communication or misunderstanding between us. We are all united and wish to live in peace. They will not be harassed and everything has been settled.”
The incident came to light after the couple, Deepak and Soni Bhore, moved to Nashik from their hometown in Parbhani, where they faced threats from the local caste panchayat of the Gondhali community.
According to the complainants, the panchayat asked Deepak to pay them `5 lakh or send his wife to them for sex. This incident took place in the Parbhani district and the outraged couple has left their home to live with relatives in Nashik.
No cases have been registered yet, but the Subhash Ugale, Soni’s father, who gave the couple shelter, also claimed that he had been warned with ostracisation (expulsion from the community).