Odisha: Woman Leader of a Local SHG Tied up to a Pole and Beaten

In a shocking incident, in Balasore district of Odisha, a woman who took charge to help other women from a village was allegedly tied up to a pole and beaten. The villagers took this drastic step against her to stop her from interfering in their personal matters. A complaint has now been filed and an investigation is going on. The incident gathered attention after the video of Ms Satyabhama Behera tied to a pole went viral on social media, reported NDTV.

She is the leader of a local self-help group

Satyabhama Behera is the president of a local self-help group. Reportedly, she tried to come to the aid of local women and help them. As a result,the angry villagers tied her to an electric pole and also beat her up. The Asian Age reported,"Locals allegedly thrashed her and abused her claiming that she was interfering in their personal matters and disturbing the local social practices."

The incident happened in Manitri Chandanpur village of Balasore district on April 14. The villagers were angered by the woman's attempts at resolving issues of village women. It appears the villagers became intolerant to the outsiders aiding their women. This incident has, however, raised concerns about the safety of social workers.

Probe is going on

Complaints were filed in the nearby Simulia police station. The Asian Age further reports," Senior investigating officer Sanjay Kumar Parida said the investigation is underway to ascertain what triggered the incident."

Police is trying to figure out what led the villagers to take such a drastic step. Meanwhile, the woman is adamant about seeking justice. She is ready to fight against what happened to her. "We'll fight for justice," Behera said.

Such an incident raises concerns about growing intolerance towards making women independent in villages. This may even deter people from reaching out to villagers in need in the future. Police is focusing on getting the details quickly and take strict action.

Read: Vimala Kadam is Making this Karnataka Village Open Defecation Free

Nimisha is an intern with SheThePeople.TV