Both the police and the Chhatarpur district panchayat have initiated investigations into the matter. Confirming complaints from both sides, Chhatarpur district police superintendent Agam Jain said on Sunday that investigations are underway.The group alleging ostracisation claims they have been excluded from social events, such as marriages, due to their consumption of the prasad. It is worth noting that the former village sarpanch, who leads the group alleging ostracisation, has been at odds with the current sarpanch for years.The groups have had bitter disagreements, particularly after the current sarpanch and his supporters opposed the former sarpanch for allegedly squatting on Gram Sabha land several years ago.Furthermore, an upper-caste man from the group alleging ostracisation was previously accused in a murder case, which he believes was falsely lodged against him due to the rivalry with the other group.A police officer stated, “Old conflicts of interest between the two groups may be behind this alleged ostracisation.” Both groups have kept their distance from each other for a long time due to these long-standing tensions.Chhatarpur district, where the village is situated, is part of the Bundelkhand region. This region, along with Gwalior-Chambal, Vindhya, and parts of Malwa, is sharply divided along caste lines and has witnessed violent rivalries in the past based on caste differences.In a related incident from eight years ago, a nine-year-old scheduled caste boy from Damoh district in Bundelkhand drowned in a well after being denied access to a hand pump at his school due to his Dalit status.
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