Khap Panchayat Orders Woman To Pay ₹ 40 Lakh Fine For Not Transferring Property To In-Laws

Bhilwara Khap Panchayat: In Rajasthan's Bhilwara district, a khap panchayat allegedly called for a woman's boycott after she refused to transfer her land to her in-laws. She was also asked to pay a fine of ₹ 40 Lakh.

As per reports, the woman posses 12 bighas of land and was asked to transfer it to her in-laws after her son and husband passed away. The woman has been identified as Jhamku Devi. She alleged that the village body also asked for a boycott of her daughter.

Last year, Devi's only passed away and her husband is also no more. While Devi wanted to divide her property among her three daughters, her brother-in-law demanded it be registered in their name.

When Devi refused, her brother-in-law approached the khap panchayat of the village. As per reports, Devi stood firm on her decision and did not transfer her property even when the village body asked her to. This is when the khap panchayat called for her boycott.

The woman then moved in with her daughter who was also boycotted by the village. Devi was then slapped with a fine of ₹ 40 Lakh.

The senior superintendent of police stated that the police station concerned has filed a case and an investigation is underway.

Khap panchayats are found in various villages of North India. They are village governing bodies not elected or in any way affiliated to the government of India. Over the years, many reports have surfaced highlighting the draconian values and judgements imparted by them. They have also been accused of supporting honour killings.

Similar cases: 

In August last year, as many as forty Dalit families in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district faced a social boycott by an entire village, after a 15-year-old girl from the community was caught plucking flowers from the garden of an upper-caste family.

This incident reportedly took place two months ago in Kantio Kateni village. Read more here.