Dalit sarpanch, husband 'prevented' from breaking coconuts at

A Dalit village sarpanch and her husband were allegedly prevented from breaking coconuts at a temple and abused by some people belonging to other castes in Telangana, police said on Thursday. Two people have been arrested under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and efforts were on to nab six others in connection with the incident that occurred at Turkaguda during Bonalu festival celebrations on Sunday.

A case under the act had been registered on a complaint from the husband of the sarpanch, police said. The complainant, who belongs to a Scheduled Caste, alleged the accused prevented him and his wife from breaking coconuts, a form of offering, and also abused them using their caste name, police said..