JAGATSINGHPUR: A team of Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) of Odisha police on Saturday visited Tentoi village within Naugaon police limits to conduct inquiry into the alleged suicide of a Dalit woman.
The team comprising DSP Kuber Bariha and Inspector Gopika Rani Jena interacted with seven family members and relatives of the 23-year-old victim who committed suicide on November 7 after a youth Deepak Beura pasted her nude photographs on the wall of her house.
The victim’s mother Sakuli Das said Deepak has been torturing and humiliating her daughter for the last three years. She said the youth entered her house and tied her hands and legs. He then disrobed her and clicked her photographs. Sakuli said she had lodged an FIR with the local police station but no action was taken against Deepak. The team also interacted with local police officials to ascertain whether the woman committed suicide due to police inaction and negligence.
They also inquired about registration of a case under Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, on November 11, four days after the victim’s mother lodged an FIR alleging her daughter was harassed and forced to take the extreme step by Deepak. Jagatsinghpur SP Prakash R, ASP Bishnu Charan Mishra and other police officials were present.
On Thursday, a team of National Commission for Scheduled Caste led by its member Yogendra Paswan had visited Tentoi village and interacted with the victim’s family members. The team had noted that the woman had committed suicide due to negligence of police.
Meanwhile, Sakuli has urged the DGP to initiate action against errant police personnel.
Different organisations like Utkal Dalit Adibasi Mahasangh, Republican Party of India, Dalit Bikash Parishad and National Confederation of Dalit Adibasi Mahasangh too have demanded action against the police within seven days failing which they have threatened to call a bandh across the district.
Cops in dock
The 23-year-old woman had committed suicide after a youth pasted her nude pictures on the wall of her house.
The HRPC team also interacted with local police officials to ascertain whether the victim committed suicide over police inaction.
Victim’s mother has urged DGP to act against errant police personnel.
A team of NCST had noted the woman had committed suicide due to police negligence.