THEME 2: SEXUAL VIOLENCE & HARASSMENT IS A WAY TO DENY ACCESS AND AGENCY TO DALIT WOMEN
CASE STUDY: DALIT GIRLS AND WOMEN ARE TARGETED TO COLLECTIVELY PUNISH DALIT COMMUNITIES THAT ARE CONSIDERED “TROUBLESOME”
Soumya (name changed)
State: Odisha
Date of the incident: May 2015
Age of the victim: 15 Years old
The victim, Soumya, had gone to take a bath in a stream in her village, when she went missing. Her family had reported Soumya as missing in the police station the next day. The victim’s naked body was found after a few days in the same bathing spot. There were severe injuries on her private parts, and acid poured over her face and body. Though the body was sent for postmortem in accordance with legal requirements, the person who had carried the body to the hospital stated that the doctor had not dissected the body for post mortem and sent it back after a mere inspection. Police did not provide any support in carrying the body to the village, it had to be carried back on a motorbike.
Two suspects were detained by the police in the murder case. However, due to the fact that post-mortem videography was not performed, a charge of rape under Section 376 of IPC could not be filed.
This case demonstrates the callousness of the police and district administration towards a Dalit minor girl and her family. They provided little to no support in the case. The State Government also did not do much as no proper enquiry was made into the matter, and the victim’s family did not receive any adequate compensation. Various social activists and civil society organisations spearheaded a movement to demand justice for Soumya. A mass demonstration was staged in Bhubaneshwar under the ‘Forum for Justice to S, which lasted for a few days’. The State Government had ordered a Crime Branch probe into the case in July 2015. Odisha’s Crime Branch did not act seriously, and as a result, the two accused in the case were soon released on bail.