Dhenkanal: A woman from Odisha’s Dhenkanal district has approached the district collector, seeking justice after allegedly being deceived into an unsafe physical relationship by an HIV-positive man under false promises of marriage.
According to her complaint, the man established a physical relationship with her while concealing his HIV-positive status. She later tested positive for the virus during a medical examination. When she confronted him and asked him to fulfil his promise of marriage, he refused, citing caste differences and family opposition before cutting off contact.
The woman stated that she felt cheated and left in severe emotional distress. “He had established a relationship with me after promising to marry me. After I filed a police complaint, I came to know that he was already suffering from the disease. He did not disclose his condition to me and instead infected me with it,” she said.
“When I confronted him, he avoided me and refused to marry me, claiming his parents wouldn’t accept our relationship since we were from different castes. Later, I realised he left me and has been engaging in relationships with multiple other women in the area, making false promises and spreading the infection. I had nowhere to go and no one listened to my initial complaints. Since I have contracted an incurable disease, I felt helpless and suicidal. With no other option left, I was forced to approach the District Collector seeking justice.”
She has further alleged that the accused has maintained unsafe sexual relationships with several other women in the region and may have exposed them to the virus. She urged the district administration to take immediate action to prevent further spread of the infection and ensure justice.
Reports indicate the matter involves the Kamakhyanagar block area under Tumusinga police limits.
Advocate Ayus Sudarshi, associated with a legal aid helpline and representing the victim through the Legal Aid International Commission, stated that the woman experienced severe mental trauma and social stigma. “This issue involves the deliberate spread of HIV under false promises of marriage. Our goal is to seek legal action on behalf of affected victims and raise public awareness to prevent further spread of the disease in the district,” he said.
The advocate noted that the accused had previously been arrested under Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for establishing physical relations through deceitful means and false promises of marriage. After being released on bail, he allegedly pressured the woman to withdraw the earlier police charges while again promising marriage, only for him and his family to later backtrack.
