Cachar: Khap Panchayat type court judges to shave man’s head; Case filed, "Accused Absconding"

30-year-old Ram Kumar Pasi, a resident of Irongmara in Silchar refuses to step out of his home. His family members keep a close watch on him as he has developed a tendency to kill himself. This started on August 5.

On August 4, 2021, Ram Kumar Pasi went to attend an invitation at Ganga Pasi’s residence a stone’s throw distance away from his house. It was a dinner party as Ganga Pasi’s son’s wedding was finally accepted by the court. According to Ram Kumar, he returned home after a late dinner. At Ganga Pasi’s house, he says he went for formality.

The next day, Ganga Pasi and his family members paid a visit to Ram Kumar Pasi’s house where he stays with his widow mother. They asked him to accompany them back to Ganga Pasi’s house. “They told me that I have left something last night. I categorically mentioned that I haven’t yet they insisted me to go along,” says Ram Kumar.

There, according to his allegations, he was locked inside a room and manhandled by the group of Ganga Pasi, Sanjeev Pasi, Uma Pasi, Samru Pasi, Dadua Pasi and Bikram Pasi whom he considered to be his friend. “They didn’t mention any reason but started assaulting my son. I held their feet and started pleading for forgiveness, but they continued,” said Ram Kumar Pasi’s mother who claims to be an eyewitness of the incident.

Munia Pasi, wife of Ganga Pasi calls Ram Kumar and his family members “A bunch of liars.” According to her, Ram Kumar returned to Ganga Pasi’s house late night on Tuesday after all the guests had left. “Only women were sleeping on the floor and all the gifts were kept scattered. He stole money, and on his way out, stepped on my mother’s hand. All the men in the family were at work and so we women tried to catch him, but he left. We saw him and in the morning we informed about the incident to the men in the family,” said Munia Pasi.

She added, “Ram Kumar Pasi admitted that he entered our room to steal stuff and her mother requested us to solve the matter and not take it to the Police. That is when a Panchayat was called and the punishment was decided.”

Ram Kumar Pasi said he never confessed any crime as he did not commit one. “Their house was filled with guests and how can someone steal from such a crowded place and run away. They are making these stories up to frame a case against us,” said Ram Kumar while lying in his bed hiding his face.

The punishment that the “Khap Panchayat” type court decided was to shave his head in a manner that resembles a mark of shame. A local barber was called and some parts of his head were clean shaved leaving hair in some. “We had to get him clean shaved. He is only supposed to shave his head once I die but now I have to see him bald while alive. They have turned our lives upside down. We have become a shame in the village,” adds Ram Kumar Pasi’s mother. Ram Kumar Pasi is a daily wager. He is married but his wife currently stays at her paternal house. “We can only eat if he goes to work and earn the daily wage,” cries his mother.

A case has been registered against all seven who allegedly attacked Ram Kumar Pasi. His family members said that the Police took money from Ganga Pasi and that is why the case is lying on the table. “What we have got to know so far is that only the barber was detained. They paid Rs 4500 to the Police and the barber was allowed to leave the Assam University Police Outpost where we have filed the FIR,” informed Ram Kumar Pasi’s uncle.

The larger question here is that, should Panchayats judge cases and execute punishment? Should moral policing and mob lynching be institutionalised in this manner? The man’s head was shaved on camera and the video was uploaded on social media platforms. The Officer in charge of Assam University Police Checkpost Pradeep Singh who is also the investigating officer of the case says, “These are legitimate questions.”

“We have got a complaint and the matter is under investigation. So far we could not arrest any of the accused as all of them are absconding,” added Pradeep Singh. He said that so far, the Police couldn’t relate the matter to any possible case of theft.

Ganga Pasi has also lodged a complaint at Dwarbond Police station against Ram Kumar Pasi and a couple of other family members. While Pradeep Singh said that Ganga Pasi and the family members are absconding, his wife Munia Pasi, however, told our correspondent that the men in the house have gone for daily work and will return in the evening.