Police free man chained for 45 days on khap’s diktat in Barmer

A man chained by his family members for about 45 days in Rajasthan’s Barmer district was freed after a human rights organisation approached police.

The man was chained at Parau village on a khap panchayat’s dikat because he had allegedly fled with a married woman, police said.

A khap panchayat is a union of a few villages and often, acting as a quasi-judicial body, pronounces harsh punishments based on age-old customs and traditions.

The khap panchayat was organised about two months ago at Parau village under Gida police station. The panchayat had ordered the family to chain the man for two months. The family followed the diktat, police said.

After knowing about the chaining of the man, the local unit of the Human Right Protection approached the police. “We were informed that a man had been chained at his house. We then went to the place and released the man,” said Prema Ram, station house officer at Gida police station.

“The victim, identified as Manohar, filed a complaint with the police. On the basis of the complaint, police lodged an FIR and started investigation,” Ram said. “Manohar fled with a married woman. Both were caught in Mumbai and brought back; the woman was handed over to her family.”

Manohar, in his complaint, alleged that khap panchayat members ordered his family to chain him for two months. “My family members have chained him for about 45 days,” he told police. On the basis of the complaint, police lodged a case against two people. Police said they would share more information after investigation.

Parwat Singh Mahecha, president of the local unit of Human Right Protection, the matter came to his knowledge three days back. “Fearing the khap panchayat, the family refused to release the man. We approached the police, after which the victim was released,” Mahecha said.

The victim was not available for comment.