The NHRC has asked the Odisha Human Rights Commission to take action over the plight of a poor lady whose private parts were slashed by her husband over suspicion of infidelity.
The apex human rights panel passed the orders acting on two petitions filed by rights activist and Supreme Court lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy. Ranjan Panda, the accused suspecting his wife of infidelity, slashed her private parts with a blade, tonsured her and stabbed her with a tube light. The gory incident occurred in Bhubaneswar on September 24, but came to light only after the critically injured woman’s brother lodged a police complaint.
The victim being poor could not get proper treatment and has been leading a life full of sufferings with burden of bread and butter. The Government failed to protect her basic human rights, Radhakanta contended.
Similarly, in another case, the NHRC sought an action taken report from the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Indore, Madhya Pradesh, to protect Sitabai, a victim of child marriage whose private parts were locked for years by her husband.
The husband of Sitabai, Sohanlal Chouhan, a mechanic, has been punished by the Sessions Court in Indore for reportedly keeping his wife’sgenitals locked for four years. The incident only came to light when the victim tried to commit suicide and was rushed to hospital.
Sohanlal tried to justify his action by saying several women in his family had “strayed” in the past. His wife, Sitabai (35) told that in early 2008, Sohanlal had drilled holes on either side of her genitals after drugging her.
When the doctors were trying to extract the poison by inserting a tube, they were shocked to see the “locked” genitals. Sitabai revealed to the police that in early 2008, her husband drilled holes on either side of her genitals after forcing her to eat opium to get the anesthetic effect. Every day, before going for work, her husband would insert the lock into her genitals on suspicion of extra-marital affair. He used to keep the keys under his socks. Police had seized two sets of locks and keys .The nurses
confirmed the existence of a small lock.
In both the cases, the rights activist requested the NHRC to investigate the case and initiate action against the culprits and direct the State Governments to provide appropriate treatment free of cost and adequate compensation to the victims and ensure them to live with
minimum dignity.