To ensure law and order, nearly 150 cops accompanied the wedding procession of constable Sanjay Rathod who rod... Read More

PALANPUR: This was no ordinary baraat. Over 200 people including, executive magistrate including senior officers, were part of a Dalit man's wedding procession in Sitwada village of Sabarkantha’s Prantij taluka on Friday.

But most cops were not baraatis. In fact, they were providing a security cover to the groom Sanjay Rathod, 27, who rode on a horse in his marriage procession. Rathod himself is a police constable at Jadhar police station in Idar taluka, but his relatives and other community members were extremely wary about earning the wrath of upper caste members in the village.

“The upper caste people of the village had warned me not to take out procession on a horse. Late on Thursday night, the electricity suddenly got snapped and the guests got frightened thinking some people may be trying to obstruct the celebrations. Some informed the police and team of cops rushed to the village. At the end, I was able to take out the procession peacefully under security cover,” Rathod told TOI.

Sabarkantha superintendent of police, Chaitanya Mandlik, said, “Everyone has a right to celebrate a happy occasion in their own way. We ensured that there is no law and order issue for this constable. We also held peace committee meeting and the issue was settled amicably.”

Sub divisional officer, Prantij, Sonalba Padheriya said, “The family apprehended trouble and sought police protection.” Ranjit Rathod, husband of sarpanch Ramaba, added that some villagers had earlier asked the Dalit family not to take out the wedding procession.

There were around 150 policemen including police inspectors, sub-inspectors, walking along with the groom riding on the horse. The police contingent will camp in the village till the celebrations end, said KS Brahmbhatt, police inspector, Prantij.

The development comes just a day day after five persons including sarpanch and deputy sarpanch of Lhor village near Kadi in Mehsana were arrested for announcing boycott of Dalit families after a groom from the community decide to ride horse on his wedding.

