Bihar Dalits block funeral procession, say path meant for temple

Patna: Dalits in Bihar allegedly blocked the funeral procession of a Muslim man, claiming the path was reserved for building a temple.

The incident occurred in the Meknabeda village of Darbhanga district. Relatives and neighbours of the deceased Muslim resident were carrying his body toward the burial site when heavy rains made the mourners take a different path.

Members of Paswan community resided in that path. They refused to let the procession on the grounds that the property is designated for a temple. A video of the halted funeral procession in Mekna village has surfaced on social media.

Although the mourners attempted to initiate dialogue, discussions proved futile. The Paswan community allegedly maintained that the Muslim procession could not be permitted across the land.

With no resolution in sight, the mourners were forced to take an alternative route, wading through the village waters to reach the burial grounds.

The Paswan community, also widely known as Dusadh, is a prominent Dalit community representing roughly 5.3 per cent of Bihar’s population. Members served as chowkidars (village watchmen).