Berhampur Marital Dispute Case: Husband Goes Missing After Week-Long Stay With Wife

The Tapaswini-Sumit marital dispute case took a curious turn on Friday.  

Just a day after the SDJM court in Berhampur asked the couple to stay in a rented accommodation, Dr Sumit Sahu, the husband of Tapaswini Dash went missing under dramatic circumstances today. 

Following the court’s direction on December 2, the couple had been living in the guest house of Aska Sugar Mill for a week. On December 9, the court again directed the couple to continue staying in a rented accommodation till they didn’t reconcile. 

However, Sumit allegedly went missing since Friday morning. 

On Friday morning, Sumit left the guest house for Balisira hospital to attend duty. However, he did not return to the guest house. It is discussed in the locality that he submitted an application seeking five days' leave and went away thereafter. 

Tapaswini alleged her husband had gone to an undisclosed location by leaving her alone. 
“After learning the court’s direction yesterday, he didn’t return to the guest house even after his usual duty hour. I informed this to the IIC of Aska police station who in turn asked him to go to the guest house. Later, he came, only to ask me to take money and go to my parents. He refused to take me along with him,” alleged Tapaswini.

The reaction of the Aska IIC is still to be received. 

Tapaswini Dash, a native of Chhatrapur in Ganjam district had hugged limelight after staging a sit-in for 11 days in front of her husband Sumit’s house at Brahmanagar in Berhampur town under a tent. She demanded her in-laws to accept her as their daughter-in-law.  
Tapaswini had claimed that she married Sumit in a court on September 7, 2020. After marriage, she even lived at Sumit’s house as his wife for six months. But, she was later driven out of the house on the pretext of their marriage as per vedic tradition. She was asked to go to her parents’ place and stay there till her marriage with Sumit was not solemnized. 

Later they reneged on their words. 

Demanding justice, she had sought the help of Pramila Tripathy, a social worker. Thereafter, a tent was erected in front of Sumit’s house and she launched a dharana, saying her protest would continue till justice was delivered to her.

On December 2, hearing the case, the SDJM court had directed the couple to stay in a rented house and settle their misunderstandings.  
After a week, the court, on December 9, had asked the couple to continue their stay in a rented accommodation and the entire expenses of would be borne by Sumit. 

While January 17 has been fixed for the next hearing of the case, Sumit’s sudden disappearance has made matters complicated.