Kudos to NHRC! 8 ostracised dalits able to cast votes

BHUBANESWAR: In order to ensure safety and security of eight voters of three ostracised dalit bonded labour families in Puri district, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday evening issued a direction to the State Home Department in this regard which was implemented within one hour.

Due to the NHRC’s immediate response, members of the families headed by Surendra Sethi, Maguni Sethi and Hina Sethi of Birakesharipur under Kanas block in the district, who were ostracised by the villagers a few months ago, could able to cast their votes on Thursday without fear as a team of special police force escorted them till their return from the polling booth.

According to reports, human rights activist Baghambar Pattanaik on Wednesday evening filed a complaint with the NHRC after the family members expressed their interest to cast votes. The NHRC immediately registered a case and directed the Special Secretary of the Home Department to take necessary steps in the matter.

The Home Department immediately instructed Puri SP Anup Kumar Sahoo who immediately contacted with the Gadishagoda police station IIC Tapan Das to contact the ousted families. All the process from filing the complaint with NHRC by the activist to contact with the victims by the IIC was completed within one hour on Wednesday. As a result, a team of Special Police Force led by the local IIC escorted the family members to their polling booth at Birakesharipur where they exercised their franchise and again returned to the street with that police team.