Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday sought from the Odisha government a report of an incident in which a Dalit man in Kendrapara district was allegedly forced to rub nose in his own spit.
The man, a resident of Tikhiri village, around 90km northeast of Bhubaneswar, was allegedly made to go through the ordeal by the sarpanch, who had visited his home last Sunday to seek donation for a temple.
A complaint was filed by his wife at Marsaghai police station, alleging that the sarpanch abused them when they said that a certain amount had already been donated for the cause.
She claimed that her husband was made to rub his nose in his own spit as locals looked on.
Taking suo-moto cognizance of a media report on the incident, the NHRC, in a statement, observed that the issue was of a very “serious nature” as the right to dignity of the victim had been grossly violated.
A notice has been sent to the chief secretary in the wake of the incident recorded in Marsaghai police station area and a report sought within six weeks on the status of investigation into the case, the commission said.
The NHRC also directed that statutory relief be paid to the Dalit man.
P K Kanungo, the Marsaghai police station inspector, said a case had been lodged under various sections of the IPC, and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
An investigation is underway but no arrest had been made yet, the officer added.
PTI
