Odisha sisters tonsured in village kangaroo court for feasting with tribals
The women were allegedly boycotted by their own community and then punished for violating some discriminatory community practices.
Two women in southern Odisha district of Koraput were allegedly tonsured by their village elders as punishment over allegations that they took part in a feast organised by a tribal and going against the practices of their community.
Officials in Koraput said sisters Sumati Mali and Shanti Mali of Kadali Maliguda village in Jeypore block of Koraput were tonsured last month following a guilty verdict by a few village elders in a kangaroo court for attending a community feast of a local tribal.
Though the incident happened last month, it only came to notice after other leading members of Mali community lodged a complaint with the Koraput district administration.
The Malis are other backward caste found among the Hindus and have traditionally worked as gardeners and florists. The community in Odisha was earlier known for its strict practices including not allowing any community member to dine with other communities or tribes. In the undivided Koraput district, the number of Mali community people would be around 1 lakh.
Jeypore sub-collector Loknath Dalbehera said he received a complaint from Koraput Zilla Mali Samaj Vikash Parishad about two sisters being tonsured by some elders of their community. “This is condemnable act. We would take strict action against the villagers who are involved in the incident,” he said.
President of Koraput Zilla Mali Samaj Vikas Parishad, Dasarath Mali said the two girls were forcibly tonsured by some members of Mali community on May 17 as penance for their alleged participation in a community feast of a Gadba tribal in the area.
“The father of the two sisters died on May 7. As the Mali community members kept ostracising them, the two sisters were forced to cremate their father by themselves. During the 10th day ritual of the father’s rites, the Mali community leaders insisted that the two sisters be tonsured. Though the two girls pleaded innocence, the villagers did not take any pity and tonsured them,” said Mali, before terming it a criminal act.
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“The Mali community does not approve of such acts. Besides, our community never penalises anyone for eating at the house of tribals or other communities,” he added.
Sumati Mali, 28, the eldest of the two sisters is a widowed mother who stayed with her father after the death of her husband. Both Sumati and younger sister Shanti Mali work as NREGS workers. After their heads were tonsured the two girls are finding it difficult to step out of their homes. They have been forced to cover their heads in towels.
“Does anyone tonsure a girl? This is criminal. The people who have forced the two girls should be arrested for illegal confinement as well as other sections of law,” said Ramakant Roul, a social activist of Jeypore.
