'I protect the country but my family faces boycott,' Army jawan pleads for help

The district administration has denied claims of the family being boycotted

An Indian Army soldier posted in Srinagar has alleged that his family has been boycotted by a village in Karnataka. Vithal Kadakol in a video plea has requested the government to protect his aged parents who live in Totagatti village of Belagavi.

In a video plea, the soldier has highlighted how he faces threats from Pakistan and China every day and puts his life at risk to protect the country but back home his aged parents are defenceless against village strongman. Vithal has alleged that his family is being targetted over a piece of land that belongs to them.

" My family has have been ostracised over a piece of land. The villagers want us to give up a piece of our land for an Anganwadi school. They are threatening to ostracise us if we refuse. They have issued a stern warning to fine anyone who speaks to us, we are not allowed to visit the temple or draw water," he is seen saying in the video. The rift is over a small piece of land that Vithal's family uses as a cow shed. The villager leaders led by Panchayat chief have been demanding that the family gives up the land to make way for an Anganwadi school.

Vithal has alleged that some men in his village have eyed the land only to target his family since his aged parents live alone. "I have been serving in the army for five years now and I am currently posted in Srinagar. My brother is a BMTC driver in Bengaluru and my aged parents live alone here. I don't know what to do. I protect the country and face boycott from my villagers," Vithal said.

He has returned to his village on emergency leave but has to return to Srinagar on August 27. "My leave ends on August 27 and I have to report back to duty. I am scared to leave my parents alone. I request you to please help them and give us justice," he pleaded. The district administration held a peace talk between the villagers on August 19 but Vithal claims that nothing positive came out of it. "In fact, Ningappa Bommannavar, Eeranna Hirolli, Sangappa Hirolli, Ningappa Kodliwad and Holeppa Chennasetty, the thugs who have been troubling my family, threatened even the officials who had come to offer a solution," he said.

District officials, however, have maintained that a consensus has been arrived upon to provide land for the Anganwadi near the village school. They have also denied that there was any boycot against the soldier's family.

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