Bihar’s Paswan community block funeral procession of Muslim man; say path for temple

Patna: A funeral procession carrying the body of a Muslim man was allegedly stopped by members of the Paswan community in Bihar’s Darbhanga district, who claimed that the route was meant to be used for the construction of a temple.

The incident reportedly took place in Meknabeda village, where relatives and neighbours of the deceased were taking his body to the burial ground. Heavy rain had forced the mourners to take an alternative route through the village, Siasat Daily reported.

Members of the Paswan community living along the route allegedly objected to the procession passing through the area, claiming that the land had been earmarked for a temple. A video purportedly showing the funeral procession being stopped has also surfaced on social media.

The mourners reportedly attempted to resolve the matter through discussions, but the talks did not lead to an agreement. The Paswan residents allegedly maintained that the Muslim funeral procession could not pass through the disputed stretch of land.

With no settlement possible, the mourners were forced to take another route, reportedly wading through rainwater and flooded portions of the village to reach the burial ground.

The Paswan community, also known as Dusadh, is one of Bihar’s prominent Dalit communities and accounts for around 5.3% of the state’s population. Members of the community have historically served as village watchmen, or chowkidars.