Authorities in Karnataka’s Gadag district inaugurated a barber shop in a village Thursday for Dalit residents, who had been repeatedly denied haircuts by some shopkeepers, citing a tradition tied to the annual Mahanavami worship of Veerabhadreshwara Swamy.The initiative, aimed at combating caste-based discrimination, was launched by the Taluk Administration, Social Welfare Department, Taluk Panchayat, and the police in Singatalur village.“Every year, the deity visits the homes of the Hadapada community, and the shopkeepers claimed they could not serve Dalits during this period,” said a Taluk official.Despite repeated warnings and meetings with the tehsildar, the shopkeepers continued to deny service to Dalit residents. The government intervened, and opened the shop in collaboration with the Social Welfare Department, Taluk Administration. (Express Photo)After several unsuccessful attempts to resolve the matter through notices and dialogue, the government intervened, and opened the shop in collaboration with the Social Welfare Department, Taluk Administration, Taluk Panchayat, Police Department, Dalit Pro-Sangha Tane Kooka, and Shivsharan Hadapada Appana Samaj.With equipment arranged by the authorities, a barber from Hadapada Appana Samaj agreed to run the new shop, ensuring the community had uninterrupted access to services.A Social Welfare Department official told The Indian Express that the issue had persisted for years.Story continues below this ad“Students recently brought this to our attention, highlighting the long-standing denial of haircuts to Dalits. Despite meetings with shop owners and issuing notices, the problem wasn’t resolved. Many shops even shut down in protest. We realised a practical solution was needed,” the official said.“We cannot take legal action when shopkeepers cite religious tradition, so this solution benefits the entire community,” the official added.The Gadag incident is part of a worrying pattern of caste-based discrimination that has surfaced in the state over the past few days.In Mandya district, tensions flared in Chunchaganahalli village of Maddur taluk after a young man eloped with a girl from a different caste. Vinod and Kavya married in Bengaluru and sought police protection, but Kavya’s father allegedly poured petrol on the young man’s house, setting it ablaze. While no one was inside at the time, valuables worth several lakhs were destroyed, and the father himself was injured.Also Read | Explained: Supreme Court SC/ST judgment, in reviewSimilarly, in Turuvekere taluk of the Tumakuru district, a newly married Dalit couple was denied entry to the Arasamma temple by a local man, who claimed Dalits could not enter. The incident was captured on video and sparked outrage.Story continues below this adFollowing a complaint, the police registered an FIR under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and arrested the main accused. To prevent tensions and ensure the couple’s safety, the tahsildar and local police held peace meetings with village residents, reiterating that caste-based discrimination and untouchability are illegal.The authorities took steps to guarantee that the couple could access the temple safely and participate in religious activities without harassment.