A tribal couple in Odisha’s Rayagada district was allegedly subjected to public humiliation and forced to plough a field with a wooden yoke as punishment for marrying against community norms, officials confirmed on Friday.
The incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday in Kanjamajodi village, under Kalyansinghpur police limits. A viral video circulating on social media shows the man and woman being paraded like oxen, shoulders strapped to a yoke, as villagers and elders watch.
While the authenticity of the video is yet to be independently verified, villagers claimed the couple violated tribal taboos by entering into a marriage considered incestuous under local customs. The man is said to have married his paternal aunt — a union deemed unacceptable due to their blood relation.
Community elders allegedly convened a kangaroo court, ordering the couple to undergo a “purification ritual” that involved the degrading act of field ploughing. After the punishment, they were reportedly banished from the village.
Village head Biswanath Kurshika defended the action, saying, “We punished them so they can rid themselves of the sin. If we didn’t, there would be no rain and our crops would fail.”
Another villager, Rajendra Kurshika, said the ritual was rooted in tradition and had resulted in the couple’s separation.
Rayagada sub-collector Ramesh Kumar Jena condemned the act as “inhuman” and said he would visit the village on Saturday. “Those found guilty during the inquiry will face legal action,” he assured.
The couple’s current whereabouts remain unknown.
