RANCHI: The BJP on Tuesday suspended its Mahila Morcha worker Seema Patra for torturing her domestic help brutally after confining her inside her home for several years.
The state BJP chief Deepak Prakash took action against Patra after videos of her domestic help, accusing her of torturing her, went viral on social media.
“Seema Patra is a worker of BJP Mahila Morcha about whom we received information about the allegations made by her domestic help through various mediums. Therefore, taking action against her, the party taking cognizance into the matter, has decided to suspend her from the party,” said State BJP Chief Deepak Prakash.
In the horrifying videos, 29-year old Sunita could be seen on a hospital bed with most of her teeth missing and not being able to sit properly due to the intense torture she had undergone during the last 8 years.
The woman is seen lying on a hospital bed making a desperate attempt to utter a few words to a man speaking to her. The injury marks on her body pointed towards repeated instances of assault she might she have gone through.
Sunita has alleged that she was subjected to torture for eight years and was beaten with hot ‘tawa’ (pan) and metal rods and was compelled to lick the floor's urine.
Sunita is from Gumla district of Jharkhand and was employed by the Patra family about 10 years ago. Their daughter Vatsala was moving to Delhi for work and Sunita went along as her domestic help. Vatsala along with Sunita later returned to Ranchi around 6 years ago.
Interestingly, Seema Patra was a part of the women’s wing of the BJP’s national working committee and was leading the BJP’s campaign Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao in Jharkhand. She was part of Congress before joining the BJP. Patra’s husband, Maheshwar Patra, is a retired IAS officer.
The visuals have evoked strong reactions, with many demanding for Patra's immediate arrest.
Sunita somehow managed to send a message to a government employee Vivek Anand Baske informing him about the atrocities she is going thorough, following which, an FIR was lodged at Argora Police Station in Ranchi. On the initiative taken by Ranchi police, Sunita was rescued from Patra’s residence in posh Ashok Nagar.
FIR under various sections of SC/ST Act along also under the IPC has been lodged against Seema Patra. Police is waiting for the recovery of Sunita so that Mthey can record her statement. Patra, however, is said to be absconding after the FIR was lodged against her.