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Days after a disturbing video purportedly showing members of the so-called ‘Humanitarian Organisation’ brutally lynching a father-son duo in Khordha district of Odisha went viral on social media triggering massive outcry, it is now alleged that as many as six families are living in deep forest fearing the brutality of the outfit's Chief Manas Das.
A family living in 'Adivasi Sahi' under Sadar Police Station limit in Khordha alleged that around eight years ago they were forced to leave their village after they were brutally beaten up by the members of the organisation. They claimed to have been living in the forest since then.
Besides, they alleged that some of their family members were falsely implicated in a murder case by the organisation in 2014 and sent to jail. Later, the outfit's members also allegedly plundered their house. Since then, the six families, who left the village, have been living in a nearby forest.
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They have also accused Das of encouraging people to carry out such brutality against them. "Followers of Manas Das thrashed me and sent my husband and sons to jail even though they were not involved in any crime. I didn't have anything to eat or clothes to wear. I was beaten up and thrown away from my house by his (Das) people," alleged a woman.
Another woman alleged that her husband was also beaten up by the members of the organisation in a way similar to the father-son duo who are seen thrashed black and blue in the viral video. "They thrashed us similarly and grabbed our house. They also forcibly took away all that we had in the house. We had nothing to eat and nowhere to go. It was Manas Das who encouraged his people to do so," she alleged.
The outfit allegedly lures people into joining their fold by promising all types of benefits. However, afterwards, the leaders impose stern rules like prohibiting women from wearing sindoor and bangles, ban on final rites in case of death of elders, and more. And, they will ostracise members who dare violate the norms, and even met out harsh punishment in the form of public flogging.
Earlier, responding to the allegations against him, Das had termed those ‘false’ and ‘baseless’. He claimed a conspiracy has been hatched to defame him ahead of the Panchayat elections in the State.
