Chamarajanagar: Three Dalit families staged protest opposing the ban imposed upon by Dalit leaders, being reported from Kestoor village, Yalandoor taluk, near here.
The protesters alleged the Dalit leaders have boycotted the Dalit tractor owner Shankar and his family, in delay to pay compensation to the deceased family of Sunil Kumar who died in a tractor mishap.
Shankar, a native of Kestoor village had bought a tractor with the bank loan and given the tractor to a certain Mahalinga, a native of Managalli. Mahalinga has taken the tractor to Kodagu region as he could not get any jobs in his native village. Meanwhile, Mahalinga got a contract with a electrical contractor and he employed jobless youth – Sunil Kumar to work along with him. However, Sunil died while driving the tractor accidentally falling underneath the tyres.
The village elders brokered the compensation to the victims family, which was fixed to Rs 3.25 lac. Shankar had paid the first installment of Rs 50,000 and second installment of Rs 75,000. Shankar found it difficult to pay the remaining installment within the deadline. The Dalit leaders angered by this, banned the families from all contacts.