Marital Discord: Sec 144 In Berhampur, Day After Activists Broke Into House Of Tapaswini’s Husband

Berhampur: A day after several women broke into the house of Dr Sumit Sahu demanding justice for his estranged wife Tapaswini Dash, police on Tuesday clamped Section 144 in the Brahma Nagar locality, where the house is situated, to thwart any further untoward incident.

On Monday, the protesters shifted Tapaswini inside the covered verandah of the house and demanded that her in-laws allow her inside the house.

Police sources said that the whole area from Brahma Nagar to Gurudev Hospital had been brought under Section 144.

The couple has filed for divorce but she presently has no place to stay and was living on the street outside Sumit’s house for several days.

The court on Monday asked Sumit to stay with Tapaswini in some rented accommodation for some time in a reconciliation bid. But no one knows the whereabouts of Sumit, who has claimed he is unwell and bed-ridden.

This incensed the womenfolk of the locality.

Expressing shock and surprise over the incident social worker Rituparna Mohanty said, “This is an example of patriarchal mindset, which is breaking families. It is Tapaswini’s right to be in her in-laws’ place till her husband is back or the case is in court. But it is surprising how she is not being allowed entry.”