Woman Ostracised, Tonsured After Kangaroo Court Order In Odisha’s Jharsuguda; 4 Held

Jharsuguda: In a barbaric incident, a married woman was allegedly ostracised and tonsured on the diktat of a kangaroo court diktat for reportedly resisting her husband during a family tussle at a village in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district.

According to sources, four persons including the husband of the woman have been arrested in connection with the incident that reportedly took place at Routbahal village under the jurisdiction of Laikera police station.

The woman, identified as Hema Kisan, had a fight with her husband Mahendra Kisan on August 9. The woman accidentally hit her husband while trying to resist him during the tussle.

Angry over the incident, Mahendra approached village seniors and the kangaroo court held a ‘trial.’ An order was issued to ostracise the woman and tonsure her head. The court also reportedly imposed a penalty of Rs 5,000 on the woman and directed her to give a mutton feast.

Following the incident, Hema and her son approached the police and lodged a complaint.

The woman claimed that she accidentally hit her husband during the tussle and it was not an deliberate act. However, her husband complained before the community and the kangaroo court passed an order to ostracise and tonsure her, besides slapping a penalty, she said.

While four persons have so far been arrested in connection with the incident, further investigation is in progress, police said.