Muslim family ostracised for daughter's marriage to a Hindu boy

By Sibdas Kundu

Balasore (Orissa), Aug. 22: A Muslim family of Seikhbad under Jaleswar police station in the district has been ostracized for the fact that their daughter eloped with a Hindu boy.

The family has been slapped a penalty of Rs 40,000 by the village panchayat to be allowed to live in the village and their failure to keep under control their daughter.

According to reports, the harassment for the family of Sheikh Badruddin, began after his daughter Naseema fled home on September 6, 2005, to marry her lover Pradip Ray, a Hindu boy of the village. Soon after the message of Naseema's elopement spread, the local Muslim community leaders decided to ostracise the family. They did not allow Badruddin's family member to participate in various socio-religious functions.

Although Badruddin, an employee of the Food Corporation of India, paid Rs 20,000 to the village head Sheikh Usman on October 14, 2005 , ostracism still continues to be imposed on the family for non-payment the balance penalty amount.

Police said Naseema had an affair with Pradip which was not known to her family. Although the a case has been filed at Jaleswar Police station about the missing of the girl, the lovers – who believed to have slipped to Delhi or Mumbai – have remained untraced.

"The members of the village panchayat never considered our pleading that we did not have any role in the missing of our daughter. They, rather, accused us of the whole incident. Nobody tried to understand our mental condition after Naseema's fled home," said Mr Badruddin in tearful eyes.

He showed the hand receipt of Rs 20,000 that he has paid to Usman Khan.
The Badruddin family has searched for their daughter everywhere including in Benaras, Delhi and Mumbai but in vain.

"I'm totally shattered ever since the incident took place. I'm not able to work in my office due to depression. The social ostracism has added to our owes," says Badruddin.
Following the failure of the police to trace out Naseema, Badruddin has filed a complaint case with the court of Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM), Jaleswar.

The SDJM on February 14, 2006, passed an order asking the local police to locate the missing girl. However, the court order which is recorded to have reached Jaleswar police station two days later on Februay 16, is surprisingly missing, raising doubt about the sincerity of the then police officer to trace out the girl.

"We have registered a missing case. Neither do I know about the extortion bid by the community people nor am I aware about the complaint case order by the SDJM court . However, we would certainly look into the matter and try our best to locate the girl, said Umesh Panda, present officer-in-charge of Jaleswar police station.

Eighty journalists assemble to condemn the “black policy”

By Akshaya Kumar Sahoo

Bhubaneswar, Aug.20: In a rare display of unity, over 80 scribes - both from print and electronic media – assembled at Sardar Patel hall here on Sunday and condemned the recently framed accreditation policy of the Orissa Government.The journalists also demanded that the government should withdraw the policy and, instead, bring about a new and amended policy that protects the interest of the journalists.The scribes – while dubbing the document as “black policy” – maintained that it was meticulously designed to curtail the press freedom.Rajaram Satpathy, in his introductory speech, described the policy as “anti-press” and observed that it was high time that all media persons disapproved the policy.Veteran journalist Gopal Mishra, who presided over the meeting, stressed the need for review of the policy.Senior journalists like Subash Patnaik, Ramhari Mishra, Barendrakrushna Dhal, Sampad Mohapatra, K.Ravi, Ramesh Mohanty, Devi Patnaik, Dilip Bisoi, Prasanna Mohanty and several others also criticised the new accreditation policy.They also appealed the nominated members of the newly constituted Press Accreditation Committee to resign so as to create moral pressure on the government to withdraw the policy.Three of the seven members of the Accreditation Committee – Mr Nageswar Patnaik, Mr Sandip Mishra and Mr B.N. Adhikari – were present in the meeting. Mr Patnaik and Mr Mishra differed with the proposal to resign from the committee saying it was not necessary to build pressure on the government. They suggested for constitution of a sub-committee on the recommendations of which the accreditation policy could be amended.Mr B.N. Adhikari, was very vocal when he disclosed that he had initially expressed his desire to resign from the Committee when he was told by two journalists that they (the journalists) had recommended his name to the information and public relations minister Debasis Nayak to be taken in the committee.Paresh Das, one of the members of the Accreditation Committee, also expressed solidarity with the “concern” and “anxiety” of the journalists and assured that he would carry to the State Government the feeling of the journalists.Four members of the Committee, including Lalit Patjoshi and Ambika Das, were seen absent in the meeting.Three resolutions were adopted in the meeting. The first resolution sought withdrawal of the new policy, the second resolution appealed the nominated members to resign from the Committee and the third resolution sought for formation of a Sub-committee to hold talks with the government.As per the resolution, a 10-member Sub-committee was formed to hold discussions with the State Government on the matter. Mr Ramesh Mohanty has been nominated as the convenor of the Sub-committee.Among others who attended the meeting include Srimoy Kar, Soumyajit Patnaik, Subrat Das, Deba Mohanty, Jimut Mangaraj, Harekrusna Choudhury, Bauribandhu Moharana, Jyotsna Routraray, Sulochana Das, Sarada Lahangir, Ratikant Mohanty, Siba Mohanty, Satya Sundar Barik, Prabhu Kalyan Mohapatra, Pradyumna Mohanty, Hrusikesh Mohanty and Partha Sarathi Jena.

Jilted lover pours “acid-like substance” on married woman

Subhralin Mohapatra

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 20: A 28-year-old youth, frustrated over rejection of his one-sided love, turned devil and allegedly poured “acid-like substance” on the private parts of married lady who is battling for life at Rajnagar hospital in Kendrapara district, police said on Sunday.
According to reports, the youth Sarajul Shah had been harassing one Rizwana (name changed), wife of his neighbour Jamset Ali asking her to accept his love.
At around midnight on Friday, Sirajul entered the house Rizwana and tried to molest her. When the four-year-old daughter of the victim tried oppose Sirajul, the accused threw her out.
He then stripped the woman and made yet another attempt to rape her. When she further resisted, Sirajul poured the “acid-like substance” on her vagina that caused serious burn injuries.
As the woman cried in pain, locals rushed her rescue. Then, the villagers rushed her to Rajnagar hospital. The doctors treating the victim said although her condition is stable, but not out of danger.
Rizwana’s husband Jamset, who was not present when the incident took place, arrived in village on Saturday morning and lodged a complaint with the local police station.
All efforts to arrest the accused have not yielded any result as Sirajul is believed to have slipped into the nearby Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary.
Meanwhile, the police has sent for examination the chemical Sirajul poured on Rizwana.