JAGATSINGHPUR: Two families in Rangiagada village under Abhayachandpur police limits have been ostracised over refusal to withdraw a sexual assault complaint lodged against few villagers. While they have been prohibited from using water, buy food, grocery and essentials in the village, power was disconnected to the houses for three days but restored on Wednesday after police intervened.
According to sources, there was a long-standing dispute between the families of one Seshdev Baral and Naba Das over an alleged love affair between the former’s son and Das’ daughter-in-law. While the issue was resolved, a village meeting had been called on September 8 to impose punishment upon Baral’s family for setting an example. However, none from the family attended.
Irked, Naba’s wife Purnima, son Pintu and few other women forcibly entered Baral’s house on the same day and failing to locate him, assaulted his daughter Puja Rout (25) and stripped her after pulling her on to the road. She was also attacked with lathis and stones. Baral’s wife Ranjana and son Makhuni were also assaulted when they tried to intervene.
The next day, when Puja lodged an FIR against the accused for stripping and assaulting her and other family members, villagers started threatening her of dire consequence and asked her to withdraw the case. She, however, did not comply.
On November 23, villagers united and again called a meeting where it was decided to boycott eight members of Baral’s family and also disconnect power supply to their house. The boycott was applied to an eye witness to the gruesome incident Sabita Gochayat and three of her family members.
Puja alleged,”Not only power disconnection, my family members are not even allowed to take water, food, groceries and other essentials from any shop in the village. No one is talking to us as they will have to pay penalty as agreed upon by the villagers.”
Eye-witness Sabita from the same village claimed that `500 has been imposed as penalty on any villager who speaks to them. “However, power connection was restored on Wednesday in presence of police,” she added.
Paradeepgarh sarpanch Mihir Ranjan Sahoo also confirmed that power supply was restored in both the houses on the day. “The panchayat has decided to conduct a meeting on Sunday to restore normalcy in this village,” he said.
Meanwhile, IIC of Abhyachandpur police station Jugal Kishore Das has informed that after getting allegations from the victim Puja, a case was registered on Tuesday while another had been registered in September at the time of the incident. Police is investigating the case, he added.