Who Is Seema Patra? BJP Leader Arrested For Torturing Domestic Helper

Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Seema Patra was arrested by the Jharkhand police on allegations of abusing and torturing a 29-year-old domestic helper. Yesterday, the BJP suspended Patra after a video of the woman narrating her horrific ordeal went viral and sparked outrage.

The Ranchi police rescued the domestic helper, Sunita from Seema Patra’s residence last week and her statement was recorded before the magistrate. Sunita alleged that she was imprisoned and regularly tortured and abused by Patra for years. The tribal woman claimed Patra burned her with a hot pan, broke her teeth, and beat her. Sunita also alleged that she was forced to lick urine off the floor.

Who Is Seema Patra?

• Seema Patra is a BJP leader and a member of the national executive of the political party’s Mahila Morcha.
• The politician is married to Maheshwar Patra, a retired Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer. They reside in the Ashok Nagar locality of Ranchi.
• The tribal woman Sunita recounted her experience of being starved, abused, humiliated, and assaulted by Patra. The video of her narrating her ordeal went viral on social media and netizens demanded that Patra be arrested.
• The BJP leader was suspended and after Sunita was rescued, Ranchi senior superintendent of police (SSP) Kishore Kaushal said, “Investigation is and related formalities are being done. The accused would be arrested soon.”
• A case against Patra was registered at the Argora police station and she was arrested on Wednesday.
• Patra was booked under the Indian Penal Code Sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 325 (punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 346 (wrongful confinement), and 374 (unlawful compulsory labour).
• She was also booked under sections of the Scheduled Castes Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
• Sunita said that Patra’s son Ayushman had helped rescue her and claimed, “It is only because of him that I am alive”.
• Ayushman’s friend who is a government employee informed the police about the situation, which led to Sunita’s rescue. She is currently undergoing treatment at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi.

Suggested Reading: Why Is BJP's Seema Patra In News? All About The Cruelty Allegations Against Her