Hundreds of Mahadalit families in Bihar’s Gaya district have fled from their village along with their cattle and other belongings out of fear from upper caste strongmen. The frightened Mahadalit families have taken shelter in a government building, five kilometres away from the village.

Police sources told The Hindu that over 250 families of Mahadalit community fled from Pura village under Tekari police station on Thursday fearing threats from the upper caste strongmen. The villagers are now taking shelter in a block development office of Tekari where the district administration has arranged food and other facilities for them.

Top district officials have been requesting the Mahadalit families to return to their village claiming the police would take care of their safety and security but the fear-stricken villagers have refused to budge from their shelter in the government building.

The trigger was when Arjun Manjhi from the Mahadalit community filed his nomination papers for the election of President to the Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society [PACS] despite being warned by the upper caste strongmen of the village.

When Mr. Manjhi refused to withdraw his nomination papers he was allegedly beaten to death on September 20 by the upper caste strongmen.

“When we protested the killing and lodged a case against the perpetrators they threatened us to kill if we protest against them, so we fled from the village”, said Mr. Manjhi’s son.

Gaya superintendent of Police Nishant Tiwari said that out of seven named accused persons, Chhotu Kumar (a) Gautam has already been arrested.

“A manhunt has also been undertaken to nab the other accused persons and we’ll arrest them soon. A police camp has also been set up in the village for the safety and security of the Mahadalit villagers”, Mr. Tiwari told The Hindu. But Mahadalit villagers said that the perpetrators have continuously been issuing threats to them and police have remained inactive.

“At last we decided to flee away from the village along with out cattle and other belongings”, said Sitaram Manjhi, a member of the community.

Reports said that all district officials are camping at the place and pleading with Mahadalit families to return to their village. The Mahadalit villagers have submitted a list of demand to the district officials for their return to the village.

Bihar’s Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is also from the Mahadalit community and from Gaya.