Odisha family ostracised for not attending village meeting

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Balugaon, Feb 11:

Members of a family, including women and children, are sitting in front of Banapur police station in Odisha’s Khurda district demanding justice who have allegedly been ostracised and tortured by the villagers for not attending village meeting.

The family of Gouranga Pallai, with his four sons, their wives and children, are sitting on a dharna demanding justice. They have alleged in their written complaint in the Banapur police station that they been excommunicated from their native Bheteswar village in Balugaon in the district, beaten up and farm produce of over Rs 1 lakh have been burnt after the family head Gouranga Pallai did not attend a village meeting.

The villagers had called for a meeting to discuss construction of a road. Since some portion of the road was going through Gouranga Pallai’s land, he was asked to be present in the meeting scheduled on January 20.

Pallai did not turn up for the discussion following which the angry villagers excommunicated him and his family. The family members have also knocked the doors of the District Collector, Superintendent of Police and Odisha Human Rights Commission.

On Wednesday, while Pallai was transporting some of his produce to a safer place, the angry villagers prevented him from doing his work. The villagers relented after the intervention of higher police officials.

The following day, the whole family pledged to sit on dharna till they get justice.