Hakki-pikki community from Karnataka's Davangere facing jail threat in African country

Davangere: As many as eight people including three women belonging to Hakki-Pikki community from Davangere, Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru districts are facing threat of jail in Chad country in Central Africa as their visa expired on December 22 last year.

According to them, they had gone to Central Africa to sell their herbal medicine as usual in September. They had even submitted an application to the Immigration officials a week before the expiry date for the renewal. But the officials concerned failed to renew it on time Now, the officials are reportedly threatening these herbal medicine merchants that they would be jailed if they don't pay fine of Rs 1.5 lakh by confiscating their passports. (per head) So they have urged the External Affairs Ministry to lend a helping hand at the earliest.

In a video clip released on social media and Hakki-Pikki Community leader Puneeth, they requested the government of India to hold talks with Embassy of India in N'Djamena, capital city of Chad and instruct the officials concerned to negotiate with government of Chad and help them to get back their passport as it had been seized.

Speaking to DH, Karnataka Hakki-Pikki Budakattu Sanghatane President R Puneeth Kumar said people of Hakki-Pikki community go to African countries every year with valid visa to sell herbal medicines. But every time, they face crisis in one way or the other. This time, they have not done any mistake as they submitted application to the Immigration officials in Chad for the renewal of their visa in advance. But the officials concerned there did not do it. Now, they are demanding each member of the community to pay penalty of Rs 1.5 lakh. They are not in a state to pay such a huge money as penalty. So, the Centre must issue licence to these merchants so that they can carry on their business activities in Africa without facing any obstacle.

He also informed that he spoke to Davangere MP Prabha Mallikarjun and requested her to talk to the officials of External Affairs.

Of the eight persons, one couple is from Gopanal village of Channagiri taluk in Davangere district, a family of four from Hakki-Pikki camp in Shivamogga and a boy from the same camp and a relative of Davangere couple are staying in rented building in N'Djamena, capital city of Chad.