A self-styled ‘kangaroo court’ consisting of local women imposed the inhumane punishment including garlanding her with slippers
BHUBANESHWAR — A Dalit woman was subjected to public humiliation and inhumane treatment in Kandahal village under Nakachi panchayat in Odisha’s Angul district after failing to repay a loan of ₹2,000.
The incident, captured on video and now viral on social media, has sparked widespread outrage and renewed calls for justice. The disturbing video depicts the woman being paraded through the village with her face blackened and a garland of slippers around her neck, media reports said on Saturday.
Quoting local sources The Observer Post reported that the woman had borrowed the amount from a village committee. Unable to repay the loan, she was allegedly punished by a self-styled “kangaroo court”. Oddly, the village committee that imposed the inhumane punishment consisted of several local women.
The victim filed a written complaint at Handapa police station on August 14. However, allegations have surfaced that local police, village authorities, and community leaders attempted to suppress the matter, taking no immediate action despite the serious nature of the incident.
Sources also indicate that the woman has since left the village, with reports suggesting she may have been pressured into silence.
“No immediate action was taken even though the crime was serious,” said a local resident.
The video’s viral spread brought the incident to light, sparking widespread outrage and condemnation. Civil society groups and human rights activists have now called for immediate action against the perpetrators and accountability from local authorities.
