Ostracized and Deprived: 70 Dalit Families in Haryana Village Pay Heavy Price for Not Supporting Upper Caste Candidate in 2024 Assembly Elections

Hisar- In Madanhedi village of Haryana’s Hisar district, under Hansi tehsil, the barber refuses to cut hair, the milkman won’t deliver milk, the water supplier denies water, the grocer withholds essentials, and the flour mill owner refuses to grind wheat. This is not a fictional tale but the grim reality for 70 Dalit families of the Valmiki community, who have been enduring a brutal social boycott for the past four months in this Jat-dominated village.

With around 1,500 Jat households dwarfing the 70-80 Valmiki homes, the “crime” of these families was exercising their democratic right during the September 2024 Haryana Assembly elections by voting for a candidate of their choice, rather than the one backed by the Jat community. Stripped of access to basic necessities like milk, groceries, water, and even employment, these families are forced to travel 6-7 kilometers to nearby towns like Hansi, Maham, or Saman to meet their daily needs. This is a story of caste-based discrimination, the tyranny of khap panchayats, and the relentless pressure tactics aimed at forcing these families to abandon their legal fight.

Dalit rights activist and lawyer Rajat Kalsan told The Mooknayak, “The conflict stems from the Haryana Assembly elections in September 2024, when Jessi Pethwal was contesting from Narnaund.

Background of the issue

The roots of this conflict trace back to the Haryana Assembly elections in September 2024. Madanhedi falls under the Narnaund constituency, where Jaswinder, alias Jessi Pethwal, was a candidate. Having married a Jat girl from the village, Jessi was considered the “son-in-law” of Madanhedi, and the Jat community pressured everyone to vote for him. However, Ravindra, son of Rishiraj, a young man from the Valmiki community, defied this dictate, declaring he would vote for a candidate of his choice.

Infuriated by his refusal, Mohan son of Omprakash, Ajit alias Ajay son of Ajmer, Sajjan, Rambhagat alias Kuku son of Omprakash, and Ajmer’s wife Santosh attacked Ravindra with sticks, clubs, and an axe. Ravindra filed a case at Bass police station, registered as FIR No. 275/24, under sections 115(2), 238(C), 3(5) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 3 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The case is currently under trial in the court of Shri G.D. Mittal in Hisar, with witness testimonies scheduled for the next hearing.

The filing of the FIR sparked outrage among the Jat community. About 20 days later, in January 2025, a khap panchayat was convened at the village’s new chaupal. Attended by Sarpanch representative Pradeep Poonia, Mohan son of Omprakash, Sajjan son of Chhaju, Sajjan son of Uday, Mandeep Mor son of Deshraj, Narendra alias Bulli son of Dhupa, Ankit son of Anand, and other Jat community members, the panchayat issued a decree. Mohan, Pradeep Poonia, and Sandeep Mor announced that if the Valmiki community did not withdraw Ravindra’s case, they would face a social boycott. The entire Jat community united to enforce this, cutting off the 70 Valmiki families’ access to basic services. Local shopkeepers stopped selling groceries. Sunil, who runs a grocery store at the bus stand, refused to sell to Ravindra, Naveen son of Chanda, and Sagar son of Kuldeep, among others. Sunil’s wife cited the boycott as the reason, an exchange recorded and submitted to the police as evidence.

Ajmer, a milkman from neighboring Singhwa village who supplied milk to the Valmiki locality, stopped deliveries at the behest of the named accused. Jitendra, the village’s water camper supplier, also ceased providing water to the Dalit families. Haribishan, who operates a flour mill, refused to grind wheat for Ajay son of Madanlal and other Valmiki community members. The village barber and doctor shut their services to these families. As a result, the families must travel to distant towns like Hansi, Maham, or Saman for daily necessities, with water—a basic need—requiring a 6-7 kilometer trip to Saman village.

The boycott’s impact extends beyond basic services to livelihoods. Balwan Poonia refused painting work to Narendra, Abhimanyu, and Pawan. Surendra and Bhup Singh, sons of Hoshiar Singh, sacked Mahipal son of Jagdish from masonry work. For these families, the boycott has become not just a social ostracism but an economic crisis. To intensify pressure, the named accused allegedly coerced some Valmiki community members into signing or thumb-printing blank papers under threats. Narendra alias Bulli used these to draft a fake compromise document to force the withdrawal of the FIR. Yet, the Dalit families stood firm, refusing to back down, which only tightened the boycott’s grip.

As the case approached the evidence stage in court, the Jat community and panchayat escalated their tactics. The Valmiki families were served notices for “encroaching” on panchayat land, ordering them to vacate their homes. Rajat Kalsan notes that these families have lived in these homes for over 100 years. Jat and other community members also reside on panchayat land with electricity, water, and paved roads, yet only the Dalit families were targeted with eviction notices to coerce them into withdrawing the case.

After four months of living in fear and under pressure, the Valmiki community found the courage to speak out. On April 11, 2025, Hawa Singh son of Shishuram, Jaipal son of Jaikumar, Jagbir son of Tekram, Dharmbir son of Shobharam, Seva son of Hargyan, Ravindra son of Rishiraj, Atma son of Umed, Jagdish son of Tekram, and Madan son of Bharthu filed a complaint with the Superintendent of Police, Hansi.

The complaint named 12 persons including Pradeep Poonia (Sarpanch representative), Sajjan son of Chhaju, Sajjan son of Uday, Mandeep Mor son of Deshraj, Mohan son of Omprakash, Narendra alias Bulli son of Dhupa, Ankit son of Anand, and other unidentified Jat community members for orchestrating the boycott. On April 23, 2025, FIR No. 73 was lodged at Bass police station under Section 3(1)(zc) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, which criminalizes social boycotts.

For four months, the 70 Valmiki families have lived in inhumane conditions. Children, the elderly, and women bear the brunt of this boycott. With livelihoods snatched away, many families face economic ruin. The eviction notices have compounded their woes. This is not just the story of one village but a sad reflection of the deep-rooted caste discrimination that continues to plague society, and the battle these families are waging against it.