The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has taken suo motu cognisance of an alleged incident in which a group of Dalit women were reportedly stopped from entering a temple and offering holy water in Erasama, Jagatsinghpur district, Odisha.
The commission’s action followed a report published by The New Indian Express on August 12 about the alleged incident and the police action that followed.
The NCSC has summoned the Jagatsinghpur district collector and superintendent of police (SP) and directed them to submit an action taken report within three days.
The commission has sought details of the arrests, the date and number of the chargesheet, compensation provided to the alleged victims and other steps taken in the case.
Dalit Women Allegedly Stopped From Temple Entry
The incident reportedly took place on August 10, when a group of Dalit women from Atimati village visited a local Shiva temple in Erasama to offer prayers and holy water on Shravan Somvar.
According to their complaint, several villagers allegedly stood at the temple entrance carrying sticks and prevented them from entering the shrine.
The women also alleged that they were subjected to abusive and casteist remarks and threatened with physical assault if they did not leave.
When the women refused to leave, the villagers allegedly threw their bhog offerings onto the ground. During the confrontation, one of the accused allegedly attacked a woman with a knife, leaving her seriously injured.
The women eventually left the temple without performing the puja and later approached the Erasama police, filing a complaint against eight people.
NCSC Warns of Further Action
The NCSC has directed the collector and SP to appear before the commission either personally or through authorised representatives.
The commission warned that failure to submit a response within the prescribed period could lead it to exercise its powers as a civil court.
Erasama police confirmed that they had received the NCSC notice and were taking steps to comply with its directions.
“Police have already registered cases against eight persons in connection with the incident. One accused person has been arrested and further investigation is underway,” Erasama IIC Parthsarthi Beura said.
The NCSC’s intervention comes amid allegations that the women faced caste-based discrimination while attempting to enter the temple and perform religious rituals. The commission is now seeking details of the police investigation and the action taken against those accused in the incident.
