Neemuch/Anta: A man from Madhya Pradesh’s Neemuch district has opened a tea stall named “498A Tea Cafe” in his wife’s village in Rajasthan as a form of protest, following domestic violence and dowry harassment allegations filed against him.
Background
Krishna Kumar Dhakad, also known as KK, is a resident of Jawad in Neemuch. In 2018, he married a woman from Anta, Baran district, Rajasthan. The couple later started a honey production business in Atana after jointly learning beekeeping. The venture gained popularity for promoting women’s empowerment and employment. In April 2021, the business was inaugurated by then Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
KK had registered the firm in his wife’s name to encourage her independence and was preparing for the UPSC examination while managing the business.
In October 2022, his wife returned to her parental home and later filed a police complaint under Section 498A of the IPC (cruelty by husband or relatives) and a petition under Section 125 CrPC (maintenance).
A Symbolic Tea Stall
KK says he experienced emotional distress and financial difficulties after the case was filed, and discontinued his UPSC studies. In response, he travelled approximately 220 km to Anta and set up a tea stall near his in-laws’ home.
The stall, named “498A Tea Cafe,” is decorated with wedding garlands and a groom’s turban. KK wore handcuffs during the inauguration to symbolise the legal battle he is facing. A banner at the stall reads:
“Jab Tak Nahi Milta Nyay, Tab Tak Ubalti Rahegi Chai” (Tea will keep boiling until justice is served).
He serves what he calls “Special Tea by 498 Wale Baba.”
Currently, KK resides in a tin shed next to his tea stall and continues to fight the legal case. He states that the tea stall is not just a source of livelihood, but also a way to express his side of the story.
