Sambalpur: At a time when gender equality is becoming the hallmark of a civilised society, a woman was allegedly barred by her mother in-law from entering her marital home as she delivered a baby girl in Sambalpur district of Odisha. While the shameful incident took place last month, it came to the fore after the woman reached out to Mahila Police and filed a complaint.

As per reports, Dipali (20) had married one Pabitra Bagarti last year. After marriage they were residing with Pabitra's parents at Mudipada in Ambedkar Nagar. However, soon after marriage, Pabitra, his mother and sister started demanding dowry and torturing Dipali, the FIR stated.  Things got worse when she delivered a baby girl in April. Her in-laws, Dipali claimed, started harassing her all the more as she could not bear a male child.

As the torture became unbearable, Dipali went to stay with her parents for a while. On May 31st, when she returned to her in-laws' place with her parents, her mother in-law refused to let her in. Not only that, Dipali's in-laws abused her parents and reportedly threatened to kill her and the baby.

Helpless and distressed, she reached out to Sambalpur Mahila Police and filed a complaint.

A case has been registered and investigation is underway, official sources informed.