ROURKELA: A 26-year-old woman was paraded naked by her husband for having an illicit relationship with a youth, in a village under Bargaon police limits of Sundargarh district. The incident took place on Tuesday at Birimunda village of Timna gram panchayat, about 90 km from Rourkela.
However, it came to light on Saturday after video clips went viral, prompting the Bargaon police into action. Four persons, including the husband, were arrested and produced before the court on the day. The victim, with her 18-month-old child, was sent to a shelter home at Sundargarh town.
Police sources informed that the woman was staying in the village with her child while her husband worked in Bengaluru. She allegedly developed a relationship with an unmarried youth, in his mid-20s, of nearby Bhalumunda village.
On Sunday night, some villagers spotted the woman with the youth at her house and the next morning, a kangaroo court was convened. Both reportedly admitted to the affair before the villagers, after which the youth was reprimanded and imposed a fine while the woman was cautioned for ‘vitiating’ the village environment with her ‘wrongful conduct’.
Trouble mounted when her husband who was informed of the matter rushed back home from Bengaluru. On Tuesday morning, he confronted his wife and started assaulting and humiliating her in public. Not stopping at that, he disrobed the woman and forced her to walk naked on the village road.
The incident was captured by some villagers in their mobile phones which went viral later. Sundargarh SP Amrit Pal Kaur rushed to the village and took stock of the investigation on the day.
DIG (western range) Brijesh Rai said, after the incident came to light, police swung into action and arrested the husband, his uncle-in-law and two others after preliminary investigation. They have been booked under sections 2, 3, 5, 74, 76, 79, 294, 115 (2), and 351(2) of BNS and sections 66 (E) and 67 of IT Act.
“Investigation is underway regarding the role of the kangaroo court, and (if) involvement of any other person is found, they would face stringent action,” he said.