Tribal woman assaulted, forced to eat human faeces in Odisha

A 20-year-old tribal woman was allegedly assaulted and human faeces were forced into her mouth in Odisha's Bolangir district, police said on Wednesday.

The incident happened in Jurabandha village in Bangamunda police station area on November 16, they said.

The accused, a non-tribal man, was operating a tractor on the woman's agricultural land, causing damage to crops, to which she protested.

The accused then assaulted her, and forced human faeces into her mouth, according to the FIR.

When her aunt went to rescue her, she was also assaulted by the accused, it alleged.

Addressing a press conference in Bhubaneswar, Biju Janata Dal MP Niranjan Bisi alleged that the police have not taken any action against the accused, which has angered the tribals.

He said if the law and order situation in Bangamunda deteriorates, the state government would be responsible.

Bolangir's superintendent of police Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo told PTI that the accused has been on the run since the incident.

"We have formed two special teams to nab him. Even police teams have been sent to neighbouring states in search of him," the SP said.

He said he was optimistic that the accused would be arrested soon.

Another police officer said that a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act has been registered.