Three arrested for stripping, thrashing Anganwadi worker in Odisha

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Soro, Aug 6:

Two days after an Anganwadi worker was paraded semi-nude and thrashed by the villagers over the death of a four-year-old boy in Odisha’s Balasore district, local police today arrested three persons in this connection.

According to reports, three persons from Basudeipur village under Soro police limits have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the assault on the woman Anganwadi worker.

This comes after the family member of the 50-year-old woman Annapurna Pradhan and members of district Anganwadi workers’ union lodged complaint seeking action against the attackers.

It may be recalled that Annapurna was beaten blue and black by irate villagers after the news of the four-year-old being swept away after falling into a nullah spread.

The woman was almost stripped, beaten and paraded in the village for lapses in duty on her part.

As per guidelines, an Anganwadi helper is supposed to escort the children to their respective houses after the completion of the classes. However, the kid had left for his home alone finding no one to accompany him. The Anganwadi helper who was supposed to drop him at home had gone with other kids to drop them at their home.

The deceased boy drowned in a nullah while he was en route home. Following the incident, the district administration disengaged the Anganwadi worker for dereliction of duty.