The system of panchayat is supposed to deliver justice swiftly and in a way that is alert to local customs. Naurin’s is one of many cases from rural India that raise the question of whether those in the panchayat should not be held responsible for regressive thinking. Here, Karim and his colleagues milked the ignorance of locals by raising fears (like that of a Hindu doctor violating Muslim Naurin) to protect someone they consider their own. As a result the panchayat also encouraged distrust in institutions like the police, who should be trusted rather than considered a last and dubious resort.