The Mooknayak Report Spurs Administration and Police to Confront Damdongri Village's Plight

Bhopal— The Mooknayak's recent report, "Unveiling the Plight of Tribes in Madhya Pradesh," has sent shockwaves through the administration and police department of Raisen District. The report, published on June 23, sheds light on the troubling predicament faced by the underprivileged community residing in Damdongri, a secluded village just a short drive from the state capital.

The comprehensive report focuses on the various forms of discrimination and neglect experienced by the marginalized section of society. It challenges the claims made by the central and state governments , highlighting the alarming reality faced by the underprivileged in a supposedly democratic country.

The spotlight falls on Maidabai and her family, symbolizing the struggles faced by numerous other families enduring daily discrimination and denial of their fundamental rights. Their ordeal reached a boiling point on June 26, when their house was besieged by police personnel and members of the administration, as recounted by Maidabai and her family.

Family Hounded by the Administration & Police

On Monday June 26th, according to Maidabai and her family, their house was surrounded by policemen and other individuals from the administration. In an interview with The Mooknayak, Maidabai recounts the events, stating, "A convoy of police jeeps arrived in the afternoon. They came and tried to intimidate us, claiming that we had filed a complaint about our living conditions.

"Maidabai further explains that the policemen repeatedly questioned the family about the complaint and constantly threatened them. She expresses fear that her son's name was intentionally recorded by a policeman with the intention of falsely implicating him in a complaint. Both Maidabai and her daughter-in-law, speaking to The Mooknayak, reveal that the police and administration kept insisting on one thing: "Give us the contact information of the reporter from Delhi (referring to the Mooknayak reporter) who visited and filed the report."

Maidabai is concerned about the safety of her family of thirteen, including seven children. She accuses the administration of intimidation. Kalavati adds that the Village Registrar assured them that their problems would be resolved. She also mentions that the policemen took their contact details and wrote down the names of family members.

The family is desperate for help and feels threatened by the behavior of the police and administration. Such incidents are troubling in many ways, but the crucial issue here is that oppressed people often hesitate to speak out against their oppression out of fear of getting into trouble.

In a trembling voice, Maidabai implores us to remove her children from the village as soon as possible because she doesn't feel safe there. The Mooknayak also reached out to Maidabai's son, Laxman, who was not present during the incident. He states, "The police have taken note of my name, and I have done nothing wrong."

With a glimmer of hope, Laxman urges us to contact the local police station to inquire about the complaint or why the names of family members were recorded. He does not want to be falsely implicated, as it is not uncommon for the police department to frame the poor in cases without their involvement, as mentioned in the previous report under the section "Police, Lies & Brutality."

The Mooknayak attempted to contact SDM Raisen Pramod Gurjar and the police administration via phone, but they did not respond.

The story would be updated once The Mooknayak is able to connect and speak to the concerned authorities to know the reasons for their visit and plans to help the distressed families in any possible ways.