Alleged torture of Dalit girl: Case registered case against Principal

Odisha Channel Bureau Kendrapara, Feb 12: Alleged torture of a Dalit girl student of a government-run nursing institute took a new turn today with police filing cases against the head of the institute.Criminal cases were registered today against the Principal and an upper caste girl student of government-run Auxiliary Nurse Midwife Training Centre here on the charge subjecting a 19-year-old student to physical and mental torture.Allegedly subjected to mental and physical torture, the Dalit inmate of government-run Auxiliary Nurse Midwife Training Institute here tried to end her life by taking overdose of drugs.The victim girl, Padmini Sethy had to be hospitalised and was later discharged.“Case has been registered against the principal Basantilata Panda and student Basanti Das under Sections 306 (abatement of suicide), 511 (punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment), 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code and Section 3 of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.Police are investigating the case,” said Purna Chandra Pradhan, Sub-Divisional Police Officer.An FIR lodged by victim’s uncle in this connection charged that Padmini was meted out mental harassment by the Principal tutor as she was forced to wash utensils in the hostel kitchen.The Principal tutor of the institute, however, denied the allegation while describing it to be false and fabricated.