BERHAMPUR/RAYAGADA: A tribal couple was forced to haul a plough on their shoulders and till the land like the oxen as a measure of purification for allegedly marrying within the family in Rayagada district.
The incident took place on Wednesday but videos surfaced on Friday, drawing widespread outrage for the atrocity the couple was subjected to. The matter was reported from Kanjamajodi village under Shikarpai panchayat in Kalyansinghpur block where the couple was punished before being forced to leave the locality. The district administration has ordered a probe into the incident.
Sources said 32-year-old Kodia Saraka was apparently in love with his aunt (father’s sister), and despite their kinship the two got married. The villagers came to know about the couple’s relationship after the two were seen together but disapproved of their marital bond. Considering marriage between blood relations a sin that brings misfortune, the villagers reportedly forced them to perform the humiliating act. A community meeting was convened where it was decided that the two would undergo a purification ritual as per the tribal customs.
The helpless couple adhered to the diktat in full public view. In the video clippings, the couple was seen tilling the land, a plough attached to their shoulders. After the traditional purification, the couple was driven out from the village as punishment. Whereabouts of the couple was unknown.
Though some villagers disliked the inhuman act, they did not dare raise voice against the villagers. However, they recorded the incident on their mobile phones. After the incident grabbed headlines, a sub-collector-level officer was asked to visit the village and investigate.