Komna: Casting votes for the candidates of their choice in the three-tier panchayat elections has cost seven families dearly as they have been ostracised by their fellow villagers for four months.
The families have been deprived of using water of the village and attending community festivals.
The incident was reported from Palasipani village under Pendarabandh panchayat in Nuapada district. The ostracised families are living in isolation amid constant threat to their lives, it was learnt.
Palasipani is situated in the border of Bolangir and Nuapada districts, just 20km away from Komna police station.
The village is inhabited by over 350 tribals while 243 of them are in the voters’ list.
In the panchayat elections, Nityanand Sabar, Manoj Kumar Hansa and Pabitra Panda of the panchayat had contested for ward member post. Nityanand was supported by Nilambhar Bhoi, Biswambhar Bhoi, Binod Behera, Chudamani Behera, Rupin Harpal, Dhanmat Hansa and their families.
The voting was conducted February 13 and Manoj was declared winner. The result, however, created a rift between the supporters of the contestants.
Manoj and his supporters convened a meeting in which they decided to ostracise the supporters of Nityanand.
It was decided in the meeting that whoever talks to any of the 36 members of the seven ostracised families will have to pay a penalty of `5,000. The families are also not allowed to attend festivals in the village. No locals are allowed to work for the ostracised families and vice-versa. The families are also prohibited from using public tube-wells.
The deprived families have urged the administration to take note of their plight and rehabilitate them. PNN
