When the State Crime Branch is still clueless about the culprit in the high-profile murder of Tikiri teacher Itishree Pradhan, another case happened in the Mahanga area of Cuttack district where a woman narrowly escaped from the clutches of some ruffians who attempted to set her on fire.
This woman had also approached several police officials of her district to help her out, but in vain. She ran from pillar to post to get justice, but nobody came to her rescue. The miscreants had been threatening the woman of dire consequence for filing complaints against them. According to reports, Anjali Pradhan, a single woman of Govindpur under the Mahanga police limits in Cuttack district, alleged that a group of people of her village had been harassing her for last 26 years after she lodged a case against her neighbour Sarat Pradhan and his family members at a local civil court regarding a land dispute in 2009.
Court had given its order in favour of Anjali and had directed the defendants to appear before the court. After getting order, Sarat and his brothers got angry and scolded her in abusive language. They had even attacked her with sharp weapons, said Anjali.
Anjali tolerated all repressions and insults of her rivals, but it crossed the limit when Sarat, Hemalata, Biswajit and Bairanjan of the Pradhan family barged into her house on June 7 last year and assaulted her. As Anjali was staying alone, she could not defend four to five people at a time. Her rivals threw her out of the house with her household articles. They had also threatened her not to come back, else face grave consequence. Helpless, Anjali immediately informed Bhadreswar outpost in-charge and then Mahanga IIC and Salepur SDPO to rescue her but they didn't take any step to give her justice. later, she wrote a letter to the Cuttack rural SP about the police inaction and harassment.
"The police have not only insulted me but assaulted when I informed them about the matter," she alleged. Afraid of returning back to home, Anjali stayed on Bhagabati temple outskirts of her village. However, her trauma did not end there. The Pradhan family again attacked her in a planned way when she was alone near the temple late on last November 17 night. When Anjali was going to sleep inside the Bhagabati temple premises, a group of people led by Sarat entered into the temple compound and looked for her. After hearing abusive languages from the group, Anjali fled the spot. "When I heard some of them were asking about petrol to burn me, I ran away from the spot to save my life. After a few minutes, they set my clothes and other belongings on fire," Anjali said.
Anjali said she was shocked after seeing the fire and immediately went to the nearest Bhadreswar police outpost to lodge an FIR, but the police didn't accept her FIR. She went to Mahanga IIC and Salepur SDPO for security, but she was detained by the police instead of protection. "If any untoward incident happens in my case like Itishree Pradhan, all the police officials from outpost to IG level will be responsible for it," she said, adding, "I'm helpless and nobody is left in my family to look after me. I now want to live like a normal person and a respite from harassment and torture from my rivals."
Meanwhile, Cuttack (Rural) SP Gurudas Kundu said Anjali's case is a prolonged one originated from a land dispute. She has lodged several cases against her rivals alleging harassment and assault. "If the police don't take action according to her wish, she suddenly brings several allegations against police officials," he said. Anjali and her rivals have two groups indulging in fight during last 15 to 20 years, Kundu said.