EXCLUSIVE: A vile khap panchayat right outside Mumbai

A riot control vehicle stationed at Arnala police station

A caste panchayat has allegedly been running a parallel administration at Chikhal Dongri village in Virar West, where residents have accused them of fixing rate cards to get away with heinous crimes like rape, molestation, domestic violence, etc. About two dozen people are members of this illegal caste panchayat who have unleashed a ‘tyranny of unlawful atrocious acts,' allege local residents.

Krishna and Prema Raut holding the copy of the written complaint he filed with the police. Pics/Hanif Patel

Nearly two dozen people are members of this illegal caste panchayat, which continues to impose monetary fines on the dissenters who dare to raise their voices against the illegal practice. Many of the dissenters, as well as those who are unable to pay money to the khap panchayat, have faced social boycotts in their own village, some of them have been banned from entering the village. "The intensity of their atrocity has gone up in the last five years," alleged Pooja Meher, who lives in Arnala village with her family members but whose in-laws belong to Chikhal Dongri. "The khap panchayat will never allow any villager to approach police; otherwise, the dissenter will be imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh," Pooja added.

Receipt of the fine paid by Deepa Vaity

"These people have been running a parallel administration in Chikhal Dongri village where a rapist can get away with the crime if he pays Rs 1 lakh and, in some cases, more than R1 lakh. They are least concerned about the survivor, as not a single penny is given to her for the treatment," Pooja said.

The khap panchayat members and their close ones continue to harass women in the village, alleged Pooja, adding, "Though most of the houses in the village have a proper bathroom, those who do not have a proper set up at home take baths in a makeshift bathroom. So, these men discreetly record videos and click photos of women taking baths and circulate them among themselves after morphing the photos or videos. I have a few videos with me and can show them to the authorities concerned for any immediate action. Though I have apprised the cops at Arnala police station, they are unable to take action."

Receipt of the fine paid by Umesh Vaity

"The molesters will have to cough up Rs 50,000 to get away with this crime. The survivors, as well as their relatives, will not be allowed to approach the police to register an FIR. They will solve the issue within the jurisdiction of Chikhall Dongri village," she added. "If there is a domestic violence issue, the khap panchayat members will intervene and resolve the issue. These women get brutally beaten by khap members. It is the reason women do not raise their voices, even if they are facing domestic violence issues at home," she added.

"If a person is unable to repay any debt, the Khap panchayat people intervene and impose a fine of R25,000 to pay within the stipulated time; otherwise, interest will be added to the existing fine," she added. The total strength of Chikhal Dongri village is around 2,500. "Since most of the residents are unaware of the law of the land, they accept what these panchayat members pass as humiliating orders," said Pooja.

Kamla and Namdev Meher holding receipts of the fine paid

The whole matter came to light after a few members of the panchayat tried to forcefully enter the house of one Mangla Vaity in Arnala village in search of a 50-year-old Umesh Vaity. The panchayat members were looking for Umesh because he had been asked to pay Rs 1 lakh for meeting a religious leader whom the members did not like.

"This incident took place on November 6 when four panch committee members, Bharat Patil, 45; Prakash Meher, 35; Kiran Meher, 38; and Motiram Vaity, 58, forcibly entered my house. They were looking for Umesh Vaity, who is not going to his house in Chikhal Dongri village as he has been asked to pay a fine of R1 lakh as he met our religious leader, whom these panch members do not respect," Mangla Vaity told mid-day.

Pooja approached Arnala police station with her complaint, and on Tuesday evening, cops registered an FIR under various sections of the IPC and the Maharashtra Protection of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2016 against 17 members of the panchayat committee, but no arrests have been made so far.

Villagers of Chilkhal Dongri who are now living in Arnala village. Pics/ Hanif Patel

Narrating the ordeal of caste panchayat, 74-year-old Krishna Raut said, "Chikhal Dongri village is my birthplace. My ancestors lived there, and we have many relatives in the village. Last year, my son got married. So, we went to meet our religious leader in Kalyan, and the khap panchayat members did not like it. So, they have announced to socially boycott us. Now, I have been living in Arnala for many years, but my relatives are still in Chikhal Dongri village."

"Today, if I go, the khap panchayat people will beat me mercilessly. They break the bones and brutally thrash you. Even if I go to my village and meet my relatives, the khap will impose a fine of Rs 25,000 on them within the stipulated time, or else they will add Rs 10,000 as a late fine to that amount, and every month Rs 10,000 will be added," said Raut.

On July 31, Raut filed a written complaint at Arnala police station after being ostracized by the khap panchayat. "The cops only stamped my complaint letter and did not register an FIR," Raut added. There are many villagers who have succumbed to the pressure mounted by the diktats of the khap panchayat.

Mangla Vaity and Pooja Meher

50-year-old Namdev Meher is an autorickshaw driver. He was fined Rs 25,000 last Saturday. Since the banks were closed the next day, Sunday, Meher approached the khap panchayat with his folded hands to allow him some time. "They did allow me any time; instead, a drummer announced in the village that my autorickshaw would not go out of the village until I paid the fine. So, I had to borrow money from my relatives on interest to pay the fine on Sunday," Meher told mid-day.

"After the fine is paid, the khap panchayat issues a receipt. The next day, a man came to ask for the receipt, but I did not give it to him, as the receipt is proof that I paid the fine, and if I lost it, the khap panchayat would impose a fine again," said Meher.

22-year-old Ruchita Meher has not been going to her own village, and she has been residing in Virar. "I ran away from Chikhal Dongri village as I was scared to face the consequences of the khap panchayat. My father was fined Rs 50,000 for no reason. Since he did not pay the fine, they added interest of Rs 25,000, and we finally had to pay Rs 75,000," she added.

Mangla's husband, Keval Vaithy, said, "Are we living in an independent country? We are being suppressed by the highhandedness of these hooligans. It has been more than 48 hours since the registration of the FIR against 17 people, but the Arnala police have not arrested a single accused who are roaming freely in the village."

"There is a gross violation of law and order that needs to be restored in the village. Being a senior citizen of this independent India, I would request the government bodies to help us out of this humiliation and atrocities," said the septuagenarian Raut.

Anticipating a riot-like situation at the time of the police crackdown, the Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar police stationed a riot control vehicle at Arnala police station on Wednesday. When contacted, the in-charge of Arnala police station inspector Vitthal Chougule said, "We have registered an FIR, and our investigations are underway."

The Zonal Deputy Commissioner of Police, Suhas Bavche, said, "We have acted swiftly on the complaint and registered an FIR against all the accused. No accused will be spared."

Rs 1 lakh
Fine against rapist

Rs 50,000
Fine against molesters