The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has directed the Kendrapada SP to conduct an inquiry and submit a report within four weeks on the allegations that a woman had been forced by her husband to spend the first night (after marriage) with Sarathi Baba in his ashram, and when opposed, she was tortured by in-laws.
A woman of Raghunathpur under the Kendrapada Sadar police limits had in September lodged a complaint at the OHRC in this regard. She informed that she had married to one Jagabandhu Rout of Ghigidia. On their fourth night on January 18, Jagannath told her to go with him to have darshan of Sarathi Baba. After they reached there, he forced her to spend the night with the Baba in his ashram. However, being terribly upset with this ugly proposal, she somehow managed to flee from the place.
The woman too alleged that after this incident she was regularly tortured by her husband and in-laws as well. Even they branded her as mentally deranged to cover up their misdeeds. Neibouring women too started calling her as mad woman. Stating that their behavior has caused untold miseries and violated her human rights, the woman urged to OHRC to take stringent action against culprits.
Acting on the petition, the OHRC registered a case and directed the SP to submit a factual report on the alleged matter within four weeks.
Earlier in August, the woman had lodged an FIR at the Nikirai police station alleging that her husband and in-laws had been torturing her for dowry. Police had also arrested her father-in-law Prafulla Rout forwarded her to jail custody. The local court had recorded 164 statements of the woman on her allegation.
