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2-year-old Dalit child runs into temple in Karnataka, family fined Rs 25,000 for 'purification ritual'

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 9/23/2021 6:06:35 AM

Bengaluru, Sep 22 ADalit family from Karnataka's Miyapur village in Koppal district was fined Rs 25,000 after their two-year-old child entered a temple. According to a news report, villagers said that upper caste members sought money from the family for 'purification' rituals but the district administration intervened, resolved the issue and warned them. The toddler entered the temple on September 4 when his family had taken him there to offer prayers for his birthday. The child ran inside the temple premises when his father was praying. Temple priest and locals tooks objection to this and imposed a fine on the family on September 11. “It was my son’s birthday and we wanted to offer our prayers at the Anjaneya temple in front of our house. It started raining then and my son entered the temple. That is all that happened,” says Chandru, father of the two-year-old child. According to another news report, Chandru and his family are Dalits and are not allowed in the Anjaneya Temple in Miyapura of Koppal, much like in several other temples in the region.