
CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has directed the Mayurbhanj district police to file an action taken report (ATR) on the alleged social boycott of a tribal family by some of the villagers at Dorakantia village under Bangirposi police station limits.
A kangaroo court was conducted in the village and 60-year-old Sundar Mohan Majhi’s family was slapped with a fine of Rs 25,000 for allegedly practising sorcery last year. Subsequently, Majhi’s family was ostracised for not paying the fine.
More so, when his wife Sakramani Majhi died on October 23 last year, villagers decided against permission for cremation if he did not pay the fine. The funeral could be done after much delay only with the help of a social organisation.
Majhi moved the high court as his FIR at the local police station apparently did not result in amelioration of the family’s plight. Advocate Bijay Kumar Mishra argued on behalf of the petitioner.
Taking serious note of the allegations, the single judge bench of Justice SK Panigrahi on Thursday directed the SP Mayurbhanj to file an affidavit regarding the steps taken on the issues, especially the social boycott and restraining him from harvesting paddy on his own agricultural land and any other problems faced by the petitioner.
“He shall also explain as to what proactive steps have been taken by the police administration to bring the present petitioner into the mainstream against such orthodox people,” Justice Panigrahi also ordered, adding, the affidavit shall be filed by February 25.
“In the meantime, the police administration shall extend assistance to the petitioner to perform the death ritual of his deceased wife. It is also made clear that, no member of any NGO except the family members of the petitioner should be there to perform the death ritual without any assistance.”
The police shall also take steps to allow the petitioner to use the water from common well including the tube-well and other common resources of the village, Justice Panigrahi further directed.