The People

Customs of Lakher Society

Lakher System of Trial

Lakher chiefs followed a unique system for trial of cases.  On the day fixed for trial, the chief along with some elders (machas) would go to the house of  the complainant and some other machas would go to the house of the accused. Both the house holds would entertain the judges and accompanying people with lost of beer.

If the chief could not decide a case and one of the parties asked for trial by ordeal, such trial would be arranged.  A leuchapa would take both the parties to a stream and would hold their heads under water. One taking out the head out of water first would lose the case.  In another system of trial by ordeal, if one complained of theft, the entire village would be collected together. Everyone would be asked to take out some pebbles which had been put in a pot of boiling water.  After everyone had gone through it, the palms would be examined.  One having a scalded palm would be adjudged the thief.

Generally, the chief would impose fine on the guilty in kind.  The severest fine was a mithun, priced at sixty rupees.  The other fines were of the nature of pigs, fowls, gongs, beads, etc.  The fines would go to the complainant.

The guilty had also to pay court fee, vopia, to the chief and the machas. This generally consisted of a pig and some rice beer.

Murder

Murder was rare among the Lakhers, the few cases that occurred were mainly under influence of liquor.  Murder could be punished by killing the accused but that would be excused only if it was done immediately.  Otherwise, murder would be tried and punished with a fine of  two hundred rupees.  If the guilty was not able to pay the price, the chief could pay and the accused would be the slave of the chief.  If the chief did not come forward, the accused would be the slave of the murdered man's brother.  A murderer had to go through purification ceremony before he would accepted back in the society. He also would not get a wife from any respectable clan.

Theft

Theft was punishable in varying degrees, depending on the type of articles stolen. It was a disgrace for a well-to-do man to steal, but theft by a needy or poor was liberally viewed. If paddy or maize was stolen, fine of five to ten rupees was imposed and a fowl would be sacrificed to get back the spirit of the paddy or maize.

Return of the stolen paddy or maize was not insisted upon, probably on the assumption that the thief would have required the cereals for his food.  Theft of a necklace was seriously viewed. The thief would have to return it and pay a fine of a mithun. Theft of anything from a basket  was also considered serious and would be punished by fine of a mithun.  Theft of mithun, pigs etc. would be punished with varying fines and the stolen animals would have to be returned.

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