A 91-year-old Mahadalit woman was cremated at an intersection in Bihar’s Vaishali district last week after her family was allegedly denied access to the cremation ground because the path leading to it had been encroached upon, The Indian Express reported on Sunday.

The incident took place in Goraul block. The family of the woman, Chamki Devi, said local shopkeepers had encroached on the route to the cremation site.

Despite repeated requests and arguments, they were allegedly not allowed to carry the body through the pathway. The family then performed the last rites on the road, the newspaper reported.

Residents told The Indian Express that the route to the cremation ground has been obstructed for years because of a nearby temple and other encroachments. They said that this had frequently led to difficulties during funerals.

Vaishali District Magistrate Varsha Singh visited the site along with senior police officials after videos of the incident were widely shared on the internet.

She said that earlier, villagers used to access the cremation ground by passing through private land.

“Due to the construction of shops by the landowners, the pathway has been blocked, and people are no longer able to use that footpath.” The Indian Express quoted Singh as saying. “In this context, the family carried out the cremation on the road.”

The district magistrate said that...

Read more