Suryakant Jena

Puri: While crime against women has been on the rise in Odisha, negligence and police apathy in some places have made things even worse for them. In one such case, report of a critically ill under-treatment woman, walking with an IV saline fitted to her body in protest of police inaction over a dowry case has sent shock waves in Puri district.

According to reports from certain sections of media, one Rashmita Mallick of Sholapur village had tied the knot with Radheshyam Mallick of Ambiligaon village in Gop area of the district in 2016. As days passed by, she complained of harassment by her husband and in-laws over dowry.

Even though she approached Konark Police Station several times, police did not take any action thereby forcing her to move the court, the reports stated.

Acting on the directive of Konark court, police finally registered a complaint and arrested the woman’s husband, but he somehow managed to get a bail after a few days, the newspaper reports further stated.

The situation worsened when Rashmita learnt that her husband has married another woman of Nayahat area. Unable to bear this, she attempted suicide by drinking kerosene, and was immediately admitted to Gop Community Health Centre (CHC).

Despite undergoing treatment, she again visited the police station along with her mother and demanded justice. But when she didnot get justice, she walked away from the station and was seen walking with a saline bottle fitted to her body. Later, the woman was shifted to Puri district headquarters hospital in an  ambulance, the reports added.

Soon after the entire incident came to light, it sparked sharp criticism from several quarters.

Former Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda, condemning such negligence towards safety and security of women, urged the Odisha Police to immediately look into the incident.


Asked about the incident, Gop IIC Ranjan Kumar Pradhan stated that the case is under trial and investigation is on.

scrollToTop