Odisha woman branded by hot iron by in-laws, hospitalised

Jajpur (Odisha), Oct 5 (PTI) A 32-year-old woman was allegedly tortured and branded with a hot iron by her in-laws in Odisha’s Bhadrak district, police said on Sunday.

The incident took place at Kalyani village under Dhamnagar police station limits on Saturday, but came to light after the victim’s mother filed a complaint with Mangalpur police station in Jajpur district on Sunday, officials said.

According to the complaint, Pranati Das of Dihudi Sahi-Kanikapada in Jajpur district was married to Jagabandhu Das of Kalyani village in 2016. Since the marriage, she was subjected to physical and mental torture by her husband and in-laws, the complaint alleged.

On Saturday, she was allegedly tied up and branded with a hot iron on her thighs, hands, stomach, back, chest, and private parts, leaving her with severe burn injuries and blisters, police said quoting the complaint.

Her in-laws then allegedly took Pranati in an auto rickshaw and dumped her a few yards away from her parental home in Dihudi Sahi on Saturday night. Some villagers spotted Pranati lying on the road and rescued her.

She was initially taken to Mangalpur Community Health Centre for treatment, following which she was shifted to Jajpur District Headquarters Hospital where doctors described her condition as critical, hospital sources said.

"My son-in-law and his family members used to torture my daughter physically and mentally after the marriage. They branded my daughter with a hot iron. The assault was so severe that my daughter is unable to move and speak," the victim's mother stated in her complaint.

"Acting on the complaint, Mangalpur police registered a case on Sunday and transferred it to Dhamnagar police station for further investigation," said Jajpur Town Sub Divisional Police officer Prasant Kumar Majhi. PTI COR AAM AAM MNB