NHRC notice to Odisha government over 'social boycott' of woman's family after inter-caste marriage
NEW DELHI: The NHRC on Wednesday said it has issued notice to the Odisha government over reports that the family of a woman was allegedly subjected to a social boycott by villagers after her marriage to a man from a different caste in Rayagada district.
The villagers reportedly demanded a "purification ritual" if the family of the woman wanted to be accepted back into the community.
They were threatened with an "indefinite boycott" in case they refused to comply with the ritual, the National Human Rights Commission said in a statement.
The NHRC has taken "suo motu cognisance of a media report that the family of a woman from a Scheduled Tribe community was subjected to a social boycott by the villagers after her marriage to a man belonging to a Scheduled Caste in Rayagada district of Odisha," it said.
The Commission has observed that the content of the news report, if true, raises serious issues of violation of the human rights of the victims.
Therefore, it has issued a notice to the chief secretary of the government of Odisha, seeking a detailed report in two weeks.
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