Rayagada: In a disturbing incident, at least 40 members of a tribal woman’s family were made to tonsure their heads as part of a purification ritual after she married a man from a different caste at a village in Kashipur area of Odisha’s Rayagada district.
As per sources, the incident took place at Baiganaguda village under Gorakhpur panchayat of Kashipur block in the district on Thursday.
Locals said the cleansing ritual included the sacrifice of goats, chicken, and pigs before the local deity as per traditional customs observed by the community.
Despite opposition from her family and villagers, the woman belonging to a Scheduled Tribe (ST) recently married a man from Scheduled Caste (SC) category. Despite opposition from her family and villagers,
Villagers were angry over the inter-caste marriage and held a community meeting that mandated the purification ritual to ‘atone’ for the perceived breach of social norms.
Members of the woman’s extended family were made to perform animal sacrifices and undergo the customary head-shaving as an act of penance. The family was reportedly warned of potential social ostracism if they refused to comply.
The incident triggered widespread after a video of the ritual circulated widely on social media. In response, the district administration ordered an investigation by Kashipur block development officer (BDO).
BDO Bijay Soy said that a team led by the block-level extension officer met members of both families, who claimed the ritual was carried out voluntarily as per local customs, without any coercion.