Parjang: In a shocking incident, members of a village women committee blackened the face of two women and garlanded them with slippers before parading them in the village over a fight with their woman neighbour at Colony-1 near Dadaraghati dam under this block in Dhenkanal district.
The all women committee (Mahila Sangha) held the two women, both related to each other, responsible for the fight with their neighbour Banita Behera and punished them through a kangaroo court October 29.
The incident has triggered resentment in the area. Parjang police are yet to take action against the accused although the victims lodged complaints November 1.
The committee not only paraded them in the village by blackening their face and garlanding them with slippers but also videor ecorded the act and later posted it on social media.
Sources said the victims approached the women committee after a tiff with Banita Behera. The members called a meeting and in a one-sided decision held the two responsible for the fight.
The two women forced to confess to the ‘crime’ after which the members imposed a Rs 2000 fine on each of them.
The two expressed their inability to pay the amount and pleaded for a lesser amount of Rs 200. The committee members refused to listen and took them to Dadaraghati police outpost where the issue was settled on the intervention of police.
On return from the police station, the committee members dragged the victims to another meeting and blackened their face before parading them in the village.
Humiliated, the victims were on their way to the police station when the committee members waylaid them and did not allow them to move further.
Two days later, the two managed to reach the police station and lodged complaints against Mamata Behera, Anjali Behera, Abala Behera, Saila Behera, Jema Behera, Bijuli Behera and Jhumuri Behera responsible for their ordeal.
However, police did not take any action. The again met the police November 8 and reminded them about their complaints. When contacted, IIC Lingaraj Lenka said cases have been registered against nine women over the complaints of the victims.
Lack of adequate number of women staff at the police station has delayed the arrest of the accused. However, additional forces will be requisitioned soon to arrest the accused, the IIC added. PNN
