MP: Panchayat forces woman to breastfeed lover

A 25-year-old married woman who eloped with a man from her village was allegedly forced to breastfeed him on the orders of a tribal village council in Madhya Pradesh's Alirajpur district.

Updated on: Jan 2, 2015, 23:09:22 IST

Hindustan Times | By Ritesh Mishra, Alirajpur/Indore

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

A 25-year-old married woman who eloped with a man from her village was allegedly forced to breastfeed him on the orders of a tribal village council in Madhya Pradesh's Alirajpur district.

The Bhil tribal panchayat in Alirajpur district, around 200 km west of Indore, also cut the hair of the woman and the man, who is in his early 20s, as it handed out the punishment on the last day of 2014.

According to the complaint lodged by the woman with the police on Thursday, the panchayat ruling was carried out in front of fellow villagers.

She has named one Nakedia and 11 others in her complaint.

The police have been told that the woman and the man eloped to Gujarat, which borders Alirajpur, a few days ago.

"The villagers came to know of the incident and brought the couple back. A panchayat was called and it allegedly ordered that hair of both be cut. Later, the woman was allegedly forced to breastfeed the man in the presence of villagers," Alirajpur superintendent of police (SP) Akhilesh Jha said on Friday.

"The police have detained some suspects and they are being questioned," Jha added.

In Bhil-dominated pockets of Alirajpur, adherence to the tribal legal system is very strong. Bhil panchayats sit in judgment and impose penalties by their own set of rules.

For instance, the penalty for rape ranges between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

Check India news real-time updates, latest news on Hindustan Times and more across India.