NEW DELHI: In a distressing case, a mentally challenged mother and daughter, lost their sense of self and walked naked from Chhattisgarh to Odisha. They reportedly did not receive any assistance from onlookers or the governments of either state.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has been informed that the mother-daughter duo from Kharibahal village in Jashpur district, Chhattisgarh, were rescued from Sundargarh town, Odisha.
They have been settled back in their native place and will receive treatment at a hospital in Ranchi.
The victims, who are originally from Odisha, alleged sexual exploitation and have been undergoing recovery at Aastha Gruha, a shelter for mentally ill women, located in Rangadhipa, Sundargarh.
Unable to endure their plight and immense pain, the mother and daughter reportedly lost their mental balance and traveled naked from Chhattisgarh to Sundargarh, without receiving help from the public or government authorities.
Following a petition filed by human rights activist and Supreme Court lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy, the NHRC directed the District Administrations of Sundargarh and Jashpur, Chhattisgarh, to provide a report on the matter.
Tripathy criticised the failure of state machinery in punishing the perpetrators and rehabilitating the victims, calling it a serious violation of human rights. He highlighted that the family’s financial difficulties, exacerbated by the death of the breadwinner, contributed to their exploitation.
The NHRC was informed that on October 6, 2023, the mother and daughter were found walking naked on College Road in Sundargarh. They were rescued and taken to Aastha Gruha, Sundargarh, where they received psychiatric treatment until October 10, 2023.
According to the report, there were no signs of sexual assault or injury on the victims’ bodies, though the presence of old healed hymenal tears was noted.
Tripathy requested further investigation and rehabilitation under social security schemes and in accordance with the Mental Health Care Act, 2017.
The medical officer clarified that hymenal tears could result from strenuous physical activities or medical procedures, not necessarily sexual assault. There were no signs or symptoms of sexual assault.
The Sundargarh Town Police Station staff facilitated the victims' return to their native village. Family members took them to Kharibahal and assured that they would receive better treatment at Ranchi Medical Hospital. The victims and their families have expressed no complaints against anyone involved.