Bhubaneswar: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has initiated suo motu proceedings into an alleged incident in which a group of Dalit women were barred from entering a Shiva temple in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district.
The statutory body intervened following media reports detailing the August 10 altercation at Atimati village under Erasama police limits when a group of women from the Dalit community had visited a local Shiva temple to perform traditional rituals and offer holy water on the auspicious occasion of Shravan Somvar.
The Commission has issued summons to the Jagatsinghpur district collector and the SP, directing them to submit a detailed action-taken report within three days. The required documentation must detail the exact number of arrests made, the date and number of any chargesheet filed, compensation provided to the victims, and other steps taken in the matter.
The collector and SP have been asked to appear either in person or through authorised representatives.
The Commission has indicated that failure to respond within the stipulated period could lead it to exercise the powers of a civil court conferred upon it.
According to reports, several villagers carrying sticks allegedly blocked the entrance and prevented the women from entering the temple. The victims alleged that they were subjected to abusive and casteist remarks and threatened with violence if they did not vacate the area. When the women stood their ground, the villagers reportedly threw their bhog offerings to the ground. During the confrontation, one of the accused is alleged to have attacked one of the women with a knife, causing serious injuries.
Following the assault, the women were forced to leave without offering prayers and subsequently lodged a complaint against eight individuals at the local police station. Following which, police registered cases under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Erasama police station IIC Parthsarthi Beura confirmed that police had received the NCSC notice and were taking steps to comply. He added that one accused had been arrested, and further investigation was under way.
To ease tensions and uphold constitutional rights of access to public places of worship, police later facilitated the Dalit women in completing their darshan at the temple in the presence of officials. Additional police personnel were deployed in the village to maintain order, with authorities stating that the situation remained under control.
