The Chitradurga district administration in Karnataka is mulling action against villagers of N Devarahalli for socially boycotting a deaf and non-verbal couple as well as the couple’s one-month-old child, sources said on Thursday, September 28.
Savithramma, a resident of N Devarahalli and Manikatha, from Andhra Pradesh, both persons with disabilities, fell in love and got married three years ago. Savithramma had come to her mother’s residence to deliver the child in August but was met with resistance from the leaders of the village as she had married someone outside her caste.
Manikantha belongs to the Reddy community while Savithramma hailed from Granda Jogi caste. Both worked at private companies in Bengaluru and developed a liking for each other and got married in 2021. When the newly wedded couple came to the village, the leaders from the Savithramma’s community raised objections to inter-caste marriage.
They imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 on the woman’s parents and asked the couple to leave the village. The community leaders later picked up a fight with Savithramma’s parents for letting her inside the house.
They threatened that if Savithramma and husband were not sent out of their house with their one-month-old baby, they would face permanent boycott by the community.
The couple informed the staff of ‘Deaf and Dumb’ school in Challakere about the development. The woman and her baby have been taken to the Women’s Rehabilitation center. The issue was brought to the notice of the Tehsildar Rahan Pasha and the Women and Child welfare department.
The Tehsildar assured the couple of government support. Social activists have demanded action against the community leaders and sources said that the administration is contemplating lodging a police complaint and will take up an awareness campaign in the village over the incident.