BATHINDA: A Dalit family from Ena Khera village in Muktsar district has been forced to live outside their village for over a month following the inter-caste, same-village marriage of their son. The family alleges that in their absence, their home was vandalised and looted by members of the girl’s family.Twenty-two-year-old Surinder Singh, belonging to a Dalit family, married an 18-year-old Jatt Sikh girl from the same village on July 7. The couple solemnised their marriage at a gurdwara in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, and obtained a legal certificate. However, their union sparked outrage in the village, where the panchayat had earlier passed a resolution opposing same-village marriages.Surinder’s father, Malkit Singh—a baptised Granthi—and his uncle Gurmeet Singh, a painter, said they were forced to leave the village after the couple eloped. They took shelter with relatives. Days later, they learned that a group led by the girl’s family had broken into their house, damaged property, and stolen belongings. When they returned to check on their home, they were allegedly subjected to casteist abuse.The family has filed a police complaint seeking justice. “The village panchayat may oppose our son’s return, but that doesn’t justify the humiliation and violence we are facing,” said Malkit Singh.Police action and ongoing investigationMalout DSP Iqbal Singh Sandhu confirmed that a complaint was received on Friday. Acting on it, police arrested three individuals, including the girl’s father and brother, under preventive provisions of Sections 126/170 of the BNSS. “We are taking steps to prevent escalation and ensure the matter doesn’t turn into a larger inter-caste conflict,” he said.This incident follows a similar case in Ghal Kalan village, Moga, where the mother of a boy was assaulted on July 29 after her son married a girl from the same village. The Punjab State Women Commission had taken cognizance of that case, and an FIR was registered, including against the village sarpanch.Rising opposition to same-village marriagesSeveral village panchayats across Punjab have recently passed resolutions opposing marriages within the same village, citing social customs and community pressure. Activists and legal experts have raised concerns over such resolutions, calling them unconstitutional and discriminatory.