Mainpuri, Nov 01 (HS): Nagla Beel, known as

the village of snake charmers, is the only village in the Mainpuri district,

Uttar Pradesh where residents never visit the police station or court. For many

years, not a single criminal case has been filed in this village. All cases are

heard and resolved in the village court. Cases of not only their own, but also

those of the snake charmer community across the country are heard here.

Therefore, this village is also known as the Supreme Court of snake

charmers. This court has ruled on many serious cases, including assault and

theft.

Were you aware that the snake charmer community possesses

its own legal system? They also possess their own High Court and Supreme

Court. The highest court of the

snake charmer community is situated in Nagla Beel village in Mainpuri district,

Uttar Pradesh. Although the village might be unfamiliar to most,

it is truly a pilgrimage destination for the locals. The Supreme Court's Chief

Justice, Joranath, lacks formal education, yet community

members seek him out for justice.

The court presides over cases concerning

internal conflicts and disputes. Consequences

may vary from monetary penalties to social exclusion or even removal from the community.

Joranath (75) is the head judge of

the village court. He says that decisions in his court are not made in a day;

they take several days. After hearing both parties, a decision is delivered and

consensus is reached. Most of his decisions are accepted by both parties. If

someone does not accept the decision, they are ostracized from society and

their water and electricity supply is cut off.

Joranath's colleague, Surendranath

(70), explained that his court believes more in imposing fines rather than

corporal punishment to help the victim. After a verdict is agreed upon, both

parties are presented with a cup of honour. If someone refuses to accept the

cup, it is considered that they do not accept the verdict.

If your hand burns, you are

guilty: To obtain justice in this court, a person must undergo a trial by fire.

To test the truth, the court places seven peepal leaves on the accused's hand,

then places a thick, hot iron rod weighing one and a half kilograms on top of

them, and the accused is required to walk seven steps. If the hand burns, the

accused is considered guilty, and if it doesn't, they are considered innocent.

Judge of the Nagla Beel Court: Joranath,

Surendranath, Kamlesh Nath, Rajkumar Nath, Sonpal Nath, Patiramnath, Rajesh

Nath, Rajveer Nath, Brahmanath, Satyapalnath and Nawabnath.

Ancestral skills lost, livelihood

dependent on wages: This village of 3,000, which once provided justice to snake

charmers across the country, is today helpless about employment and the future

of its children. The ban on snake catching and performances has silenced the

tune of the flute, and the ancestral art has been lost. Now, manual labor is

the only option for livelihood. Villagers Rajesh Nath and Subhash Chandra say

that the law has taken away their livelihood but has not provided alternative

employment. If the government provides financial assistance and solid

arrangements for higher education for their children, the future of our new

generation can be improved.

Everyone in the village lives

together in harmony. Minor cases are resolved in the village court. For years,

no case from this village has reached the police station, nor has a first

information report been filed. - Sonu Yadav, Village Head

In the village of Nagla Beel,

located in the Kishani police station area, not a single FIR has been filed in

the past eight years. Everyone in the village lives in harmony. Even minor

disputes are resolved among themselves, opined Arun Kumar, SP City.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi