In Karnataka’s Gadag district, officials on Thursday, February 26, inaugurated a barber shop for Dalit residents of Singatalur village after local barbers repeatedly denied them haircuts. The facility, opened by the Social Welfare Department, is believed to be the state's first government-run barber shop.
Local residents said tensions began a few weeks ago when a village barber refused to cut a Dalit youth's hair.
Officials said the barbers justified the discrimination on religious grounds. “Every year, the deity visits the homes of the Hadapada community, and the barbers claimed they could not serve Dalits during this period,” a Taluk official told Indian Express.
As the situation escalated, local administration officials held peace meetings with barbers and community members. Despite repeated warnings and meetings with the tehsildar, the barbers continued to refuse service to Dalit residents, prompting the administration to issue a notice to the shop and order its closure. Following this, many barbers closed their shops.
After barbers continued to refuse service, the administration worked with the Social Welfare Department, Taluk Administration, Taluk Panchayat, Police Department, Dalit Pro-Sangha Tane Kooka and Shivsharan Hadapada Appana Samaj to establish the new shop that Dalits and other residents can freely access.
A barber from the Hadapada Appana Samaj agreed to operate it, with authorities arranging the equipment.