A barber shop has been set up in Shingatalur village in Karnataka’s Gadag district after members of the Dalit community alleged they had been denied shaving services by upper-caste barbers for several years. The initiative was undertaken jointly by the Social Welfare Department, the Taluk Administration, the Taluk Panchayat, the Dalit Organisations Union, and the Shivsharan Hadapada Appanna Samaj to guarantee access to basic amenities and promote social harmony. The shop was inaugurated under the “Eradication of Untouchability Awareness and Harmonious Village Life” programme.

Basavaraj Hadapada, a resident of nearby Tippapur village, has been allotted the shop by the Social Welfare Department and authorised to provide barber services. Officials and villagers stated that Dalits in Shingatalur had been facing hardship due to the lack of local barber services and were compelled to travel to neighbouring villages for haircuts and shaving. The problem reportedly began after certain customs linked to the Veerabhadreshwara Deva palanquin procession resulted in the discontinuation of shaving services for members of the Hadapada community.

After local Dalits submitted petitions, authorities stepped in and facilitated the establishment of the barber shop to ensure non-discriminatory access to services. The inauguration was attended by officials, community representatives, and villagers, who welcomed the move and said it would help uphold dignity and equal access to essential services.