Woman refused entry into temple, molested

A family of Jaleswar was barred from entering into a temple as they didn't contribute for a religious function. A woman member of the family was allegedly molested and assaulted in the temple premises by locals when she insisted on worshipping the deity.

The complainant, also the victim, Sumati Mahapatra lodged an FIR with police, who have registered a case under various Sections of IPC initiated an investigation.

The incident occurred at Kalika village under the Raibania police limits. According to the complainant, on the day of Savitri Brata, when the woman went to offer puja in the Shiva temple, the priest denied to entertain her. The priest on the other hand said that the temple committee had decided not to let her family perform puja and the same was written in the temple wall.

In the wall of the temple names of five members of the family were written stating that neither they would be  allowed to do puja in the temple nor the  priest of the temple would go to their house for puja on any kind of auspicious occasion.

Raibania police station OIC Laxman Kumar Behera said, “A case has been registered under several sections of IPC, including outraging modesty, wrongful restraint and voluntarily causing hurt etc.” The matter is under investigation and a former sarpanch has told that the matter would be resolved at the village level, he said.

According to sources, the temple committee had demanded Rs 3,000 from the family for the Chadak Mela (a religious festival held in Shiva temple) which  was held in the second week of the April. And further the committee had demanded the amount for five years as there were five male heads in the Mahapatra family.

As the Mahapatra family refused to concede to the demand , the temple committee had a meeting in the village against the family alleging their non cooperation and also decided not to allow the family members to offer puja .

During Sumati’s arguments with the priest on being denied access to the temple, Chittaranjan Biswal and Chandan Das dragged her out forcibly from the temple campus, she alleged.