NHRC notice to chief secy over Sundargarh ostracisation case

Bhubaneswar/Rourkela: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday issued a notice to the Odisha chief secretary, taking suo motu cognizance of reports about an elderly woman in Sundargarh district who, along with her daughter, was allegedly boycotted by their community while she was alive, and was denied support for her last rites after death.Observing that the contents of the report, if true, raise serious issues of human rights violation, the commission sought a detailed report within two weeks.The case pertains to Mahuldiha village under Bonai subdivision, where Suni Mundari, 80, died at her home on June 10 after prolonged illness. For the last 12 years, she had been living in isolation with her daughter, Prabhati Mundari, 45, who had faced ostracisation after she briefly eloped with a man from another caste.According to the reports, the village community imposed a penalty in the form of a goat, rice and cash to lift the boycott. Unable to meet the demands due to poverty, the mother-daughter duo were socially excommunicated and denied basic support for years. Suni eventually became bedridden, with Prabhati single-handedly caring for her amid extreme neglect and isolation.Shockingly, even after Suni’s death, villagers reportedly refused to participate in her cremation.

The last rites were finally conducted after local administration officials intervened, with assistance from NGOs.Bonai tehsildar Sambit Dash, who visited the village, said further action would follow after an inquiry.Earlier, Bonai sub-collector Ashok Kumar Das ordered a probe after some local residents flagged the plight of the duo. Officials indicated that those responsible for enforcing the boycott may face action, with police to be informed once the report is finalised.