For the second time in a couple of months, a harassed 30-year-old woman staged a dharna in front of the Naveen Nivas here seeking justice from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday. Swarnalata Sabat said she would end her life in front of the Chief Minister’s residence if she is not given justice by the Government. Her allegation is that she is subjected to mental, physical and sexual torture by her husband and in-laws.
Swarnalata, a resident of Gosaninuagaon in Brahmapur in Ganjam district, said, “I was married to Pradeep Sahu on July 5, 2011. Rabindra Sahu, along with my uncle, aunty and their sons, persuaded my parents to agree to the marriage by giving false information on the age, qualification and work of my husband.”
“They always planned to kill me and wanted to put me in trouble. After marriage, I realised that Pradeep is impotent. He constantly subjected me to mental, physical, sexual torture and his in-laws inflicted unbearable pain on me,” said Swarnalata, a postgraduate in English literature from the Khallikote Autonomous College, Brahmapur.
Describing the odd dealings of her husband and in-laws, the victim alleged that they used to serve her aphrodisiac drug with meal and force her to eat. “My husband used to treat me like an animal and indulged in unnatural sex with anything, which is unbearable. Many a time, he used to bind my two legs, hands and put liquid into my private parts by dropper and syringe and forced me to watch blue films.”
“Every time I opened my mouth when the pain became unbearable, my husband used to threaten me that he would cut my genital,” the victim, now pursuing her llB degree at the lingaraj law College, Brahmapur, said. I want to equip myself to fight him with a law degree. I am a woman and know how to fight the odds until my death comes.”
In November 2011, Swarnalata had lodged a complaint at the Mahila police station in Brahmapur against Pradeep and others but in vain. She alleged that instead of acting on her complaint, the Mahila police tortured her by conducting a medical examination where doctors again gave more sexual torture to her injured body parts. The doctors and the IIC of f Mahila police station forced her to withdraw the case, she claimed.
“Then, I reported the matter to district administration officials like SP, Collector, besides the State DGP, NHRC, State Commission for Women, Principal Secretary of Home and to Chief Minister’s Grievance Cell about my sufferings but in vain,” she said. “Thereafter, I filed a complaint in the SDJM Court, Brahmapur, on March 4 last year to which the learned magistrate issued an NBW against the accused and fixed July 27 asking the police officer to produce Pradeep in court. But they did not obey the court order. In the meantime, my husband managed to get an interim bail from the Odisha High Court.
“Earlier in January 15 this year, I had come to the Naveen Nivas for justice but returned with an assurance from the concerned officials that action would be taken against the responsible. But no steps were taken by the officials which forced me to stage the dharna today,” Swarnalata said, adding, “I want police protection while going to court for my case and college for my study and action against my husband and others. If the Chief Minister does not listen to me, I will continue my protest till my death.”