Khap punishes girl who broke 'sacred' egg in Rajasthan

The police have booked 10 people in Rajasthan for punishing a five-year-old girl who broke an egg of a Red-wattled lapwing.

The girl was asked to stay in a hut outside her house by a Khap Panchayat at Bundi village as punishment for breaking the bird's egg, considered sacred by villagers.

Khusboo, a class I student at the government primary school in Haripura village, accidentally broke the egg on July 1.

The villagers came to know about it a day later. The Panchayat Council was convened and the village head passed the diktat, asking Khusboo's parents to keep her in a hut in the backyard for three days which was later extended to 11 days. However, her parents, Meena (30) and Hukumchand Regar (35), refused to accept the diktat.

Locals believe the bird, known as 'Titahari', to be the messenger of rain and harming it or its eggs attracts punishment. If these birds lay eggs at an elevated place, it is considered a sign of a good monsoon.

"We strongly opposed the diktat and approached the police. Our daughter was forced to distribute 5 kg of snacks in the village as part of a ritual for being pardoned," Regar said.

The police lodged a case against 10 people, including those who pronounced the punishment and others who supported it.

Circle Inspector Lakshman Singh told DH, "We have lodged FIR against 10 people from the village. We will soon arrest them".

The case has been registered under Sections 508, 384 and 120 B of the IPC, Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act, and Section 6 of the Untouchability Act.

The Rajasthan Human Rights Commission has taken cognisance of the matter and has sought a report from the district administration by July 19.