Motihari: A recent incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Etawah district, where a religious preacher and his associate were allegedly assaulted, has had ripple effects in Tikulya, a village in Bihar’s East Champaran district. In response to the Etawah episode, some youths in Tikulya, located near the India-Nepal border under Adapur police station, put up warning boards at the village’s entry points on Monday, barring Brahmins from performing religious rituals. The notices have since been removed by the villagers.The incident in Etawah, which took place on Saturday, involved the alleged humiliation and assault of a ‘kathavachak’ (religious storyteller) and his associate, both from the Yadav community, by some people. Their heads were allegedly shaved as part of the attack.In Tikulya village, which is predominantly inhabited by members of the Yadav community, notices appeared at all entry points. “Is gaon me Brahmano puja karana sakht mana hai, pakde jane pr dand ke bhagi honge (It is strictly forbidden for Brahmins to perform puja in this village; if caught, they would be punished)”, the notices read. These warnings quickly spread to nearby areas.Some locals clarified that their objection was directed at people who, despite identifying as Brahmins, lacked knowledge of the Vedas and Puranas and were known to consume liquor and meat. They said they held no objection to Brahmins who were well-versed in scriptures.Ram Prit Yadav, a 72-year-old former MLA and Congress leader from Tikulya, said he was unaware of the incident as he was on way to Deoghar. He condemned the act and expressed confidence that peace would prevail among villagers of all castes.“My village is Yadav-dominated with a single Brahmin family, but they are respected and loved by everyone here. This act seems to have been carried out by some anti-social elements,” he said.While the mukhiya of the Bakhari panchayat is currently in jail, the panchayat’s sarpanch, Lakshmi Yadav, said he was unaware of the incident or any threats issued by villagers. “I will ensure action is taken against those responsible,” he said.Village police chowkidar, Sanjay Yadav, said a few people were responsible for putting up the notices and did so in the name of the village. “The villagers did not support them and all the warning boards have now been removed,” he added.Dhirendra Kumar, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Raxaul, said the matter was under investigation. “An FIR will be lodged against those found guilty of this mischief,” he said.
