Kangaroo Court In Odisha Banishes Couple From Village For Inter-Caste Marriage

In a shocking incident, a kangaroo court in Nialijharan village under Ananadapur sub-division in Keonjhar district ostracised a youth from the village for merely marrying outside the community.

The youth, Maheswar Baske who ‘dared’ to wed a girl named Somabari from Nagadihi village was imposed a penalty of Rs 25.6 lakh by the village kangaroo court before they were made outcasts.

As per reports, Baske married Somabari six months ago and the couple left the village following protest by fellow villagers. But when they were forced to return home following the COVID induced lockdown and the corresponding job loss Baske suffered, he was handed down some serious punishment that included monetary penalty of Rs 25.6 lakh.

However, owing to his poor financial conditions, Baske could not pay up the fine following which he was banished from the village and got ostracised from his own community along with his wife and old mother.

Baske now lives at his uncle’s home outside the village. He has been barred to share water and fire with his village folks and nobody from Nialijharan is allowed to help him till he pays up the fine.

Speaking about his ordeal Baske said, “I am ostracised by villagers only because I married a girl from another caste. As I could not pay the exuberant fine levied on me I was forced to live outside the village.”

“Everybody in the village has been directed to not help me in any circumstances. Failing which, they will meet the same fate as mine,” rued Baske.

An FIR was registered at the Ghasipura Police Station in this connection..