KENDRAPARA: A 38-year-old married woman and her alleged paramour were tied to a tree and a pole and thrashed by villagers in full public view at Jagulleipada within Derabish police limits here on Thursday. Some of the villagers also recorded the incident on their mobile phones and posted the video on social media platforms. The villagers alleged that the woman was in an illicit relationship with a 32-year-old man for the past six months. The woman’s husband works as a plumber in Gujarat.
Paresh Behera, a villager, said, “We tied both of them to a tree and a pole after the married woman was caught with her paramour inside a house. The duo was involved in immoral activities for a long time.”However, another local Arakhita Das condemned the incident. “I was appalled to see the inhuman treatment meted out to the couple. Many villagers watched helplessly as some locals assaulted the duo and threatened them. Luckily, the woman and the youth did not sustain any serious injuries in the incident.” he added.
Denying the allegations of an illicit relationship, the woman said, “I was only talking to a village youth in my house when some people dragged us outside and tied us to a tree. They also abused and kicked me and the youth, but some other villagers tried to save us.” Derabish IIC Jyoti Prakash Swain said no one has filed any complaint with the police in this connection. “After getting an FIR, we will take action against the villagers who assaulted the woman and the youth.”