Tribal women paraded naked;<br> Notice sent to Orissa Government

The Commission has taken suo-motu cognizance of a news item captioned "Woman paraded naked" which appeared in a national daily on 30th May 2004. It has sought comments from the Chief Secretary government of Orissa within 4 weeks. According to the news report a tribal woman Newni, was paraded naked in Tainsara village under Brahamanai Tarang police in Sunderbagh district of Orissa on the suspicion of being a witch.
It said that the hapless woman who had gone to the house of another person in the village Sukhi Ekka, looking for her son was dragged into the village street and undressed by the crowd which had gathered following the uproar created by Sukhi Ekka's family. The crowd forced Newni to eat human excreta and later made an unsuccessful attempt to hang her from a tree.
Passing directions, Chairperson Dr. Justice A.S.Anand said that if the allegations are true, they disclose a serious case of violation of human rights and an affront to the dignity of the woman.