In Odisha’s Angul district, a Dalit woman was subjected to shocking humiliation after she failed to repay a loan of just ₹2,000. A video of the incident, which has gone viral on social media, shows her being paraded through her village with her face blackened and a garland of slippers around her neck.
Local sources said the money had been borrowed from a village committee. When she couldn’t return it, a group of women held a self-styled “kangaroo court” and imposed the inhumane punishment.
The woman lodged a written complaint at Handapa police station on August 14. But villagers allege that police, along with local authorities and community leaders, tried to suppress the matter. “No immediate action was taken even though the crime was serious,” said a local resident.
Fearing for her safety, the woman has since left the village. Some locals claim she may have been pressured into silence.
The incident only came to light after the video spread online, sparking widespread anger. Civil society groups and rights activists have demanded strict action against those responsible and accountability from the police.
An official response from the Angul district administration and police is still awaited.
