Pawan Malviya, the Dalit groom, wore a helmet in his marriage procession. Pawan Malviya, the Dalit groom, wore a helmet in his marriage procession.

Traffic police endorse the use of helmets for protection in case of road accidents but a groom in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam district was forced to wear one for protection of a different kind.

Pavan Malviya, a Dalit groom from Bercha village, was unaware of the impending danger when his marriage procession reached Negroon village.

When he and his marriage procession were heading towards the bride's house, members allegedly of an upper caste began pelting stones on the procession forcing them to take shelter in the panchayat chouraha of the village. Four members of the marriage party were injured in the incident.

The uncle's bride then informed the police that the members of the procession were threatened and being prevented from following the tradition of riding on a horseback. He also sought protection from the police.

"We were apprehensive about the attack but nothing happened in the beginning. As we crossed the panchayat chouraha, stones were pelted on us. As a safety emasure, the groom was forced to wear a helmet instead of a toran," the groom's cousin R. Malviya said.

Police teams from Taal, Alot and Badawada were rushed to the spot to prevent any untoward incident. Negroon is a village in Alot tehsil and is 85 km from the district headquarters.

A police team comprising station incharge of Taal police station Suresh Balraj, sub-divisional magistrate (Alot) R.K. Nagraj, SDOP R.R. Bansal was also deployed in the village following the incident to oversee the law and order situation.

The police team arrested 16 persons and personnel were deployed in the houses of the alleged miscreants. The marriage party was also given police protection after which it reached the bride's house.