Case filed against three women in Savli's Bothli village over alleged caste-based insult at Sharada festival

A complaint of caste-based discrimination and public humiliation during the Sharada festival in Bothli village, under Savli police station limits in Chandrapur district, has reached the police. Savli police have registered a case against three women. The incident has caused a stir in the area.

The case was registered on the complaint of Meenakshi Bapuji Povare of Bothli. According to the complaint, some women formed the Sanyukt Sharada Mahila Mandal in Ward No. 02 of the Savli area last year. The complainant and other women of the Matang community joined it, and the Sharada festival was celebrated with great joy. This year too, the Sharada idol was installed in the ward. As always, the women of the community took part in everything from collecting donations to other tasks.

According to the complaint, the dispute began on October 23, 2026, when the Mahila Mandal had arranged a meal. When Povare and the other women came to cook, they found they were being deliberately kept away from kneading dough, cutting vegetables and making rotis. As it was a day of celebration, they said nothing at the time. At the Mandal's request, they finished the work of cleaning rice and puffed rice.

The idol was immersed on October 24, 2026. On October 26, a meeting was called on the road in front of the idol to settle the Mandal's accounts. About 30 to 35 women, including the Mandal's office-bearers, were present. The complainant said there that if they were to be treated with such discrimination, they would not stay in the Mandal.

The complaint alleges that Kaushalya Arun Surpam then told her not to stay and asked her for a donation. Kusum Pendor allegedly said, "If you touch the food, the other women do not eat it. Should we let our food go to waste?" Babybai Chandrasha Pendor also allegedly insulted the community by saying that when women of the complainant's community cook, others do not come to eat and do not give donations either. All of this is recorded as allegations in the complaint.

The complaint says the matter did not end there. At about 8.30 pm on October 28, 2026, a quarrel broke out between Sarika Nirudwar and Shivani Nirudwar over some matter. It is alleged that after the quarrel had calmed, Shivani Swapnil Nirudwar came in front of Naresh Alam's house and hurled extremely insulting, demeaning and caste-based abuse at the Matang community. The complaint alleges that the community was thus belittled in a public place.

The complaint also states that the accused knew the complainant belonged to a Scheduled Caste, yet deliberately behaved in a demeaning manner in a public place and insulted her on grounds of untouchability. Savli police have begun an investigation on the complainant's oral complaint.

Police have booked Shivani Swapnil Nirudwar, Babybai Chandrasha Pendor and Kusum Ratansha Pendor under Section 7(1)(d) of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, and Section 3(1)(r) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Sub-Inspector Sachin Vinayak Musale is conducting further investigation. These are all allegations made in the complaint, and the investigation is continuing.