National kabaddi player face rape threats over caste hatred
A national-level kabaddi and wrestling player has reportedly been receiving rape threats by locals of her own village in Bihar over caste-based hatred. The girl said, "They (the locals) say if backward caste girls start to play sports then what will girls from upper caste do." Reportedly, she also went to the police but they did not take any action.
Ruby (name changed), a national-level kabaddi and wrestling player has been facing rape threats from locals of her own village in Bihar for last few months. A resident of Pandarak village in Barh block, just 40 km away from Patna, Ruby has made a name for herself in kabaddi and wrestling much to the discomfort of the village strongmen who are threatening to finish her career by raping her."Despite coming from backward caste, we excel in sports and therefore villagers are forcing us to stop playing. I belong to Yadav community and the Bhumihars are threatening us to stop playing. They say if backward caste girls start to play sports then what will girls from upper caste do," said Ruby, speaking to India Today.But, this is not where the ordeal of Ruby ends. A junior and sub-junior national player, she has also been threatened with rape if she continue to pursue a career in sports. Incidentally, the upper caste locals are upset with Ruby ever since she defeated one of the girls belonging to their community recently."They eve tease me and they have beaten my father also many times. They ask us to stop playing kabaddi or else they will rape me. I had complaint to the police two months back, but nothing happened. When ever I go to practice 25 km away from my house, they threaten to rape me on the way," said Ruby Kumari, national-level kabaddi player.Ruby has met senior police officials in Pandarak couple of months, but they did not take any action against the upper caste locals. Shockingly, when Ruby came to Patna on Saturday to meet SSP Manu Maharaj and lodge her complaint, he admitted to have tried for a compromise between the girl and her tormentors couple of months back, but to no avail."This matter had come to light earlier and a compromise was struck between the two sides, but the strongmen of the village are still defiant. We will now take action in this case and arrest the accused," said Manu Maharaj, Patna SSP. 