In a bizarre incident, a family performed the last rites of a girl, even though she is still alive. Her family even offered ‘pindadaan’(a post-death ritual)’ to end links with a ‘departed soul.’ Such an unusual step was taken by the family out of anger after the girl eloped with her boyfriend.
The incident was reported from Umar under Bhadreswar police limits of Cuttack.
As per reports, the girl identified as Payal Mohapatra went missing on November 1. Her father Biswajit Mohapatra filed a missing complaint at the police station. However, police remained clueless about Payal, till she sent a video message to police.
On the basis of the complaint, police rescued Payal and arrested her lover (her tuition teacher). As her family came to know of the matter, they disowned her and immediately organised her last rites by involving priests and clan kinsmen.
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Annada Prasad Purohit, the family priest said, “As the girl is alive, the family performed ‘tyagi suddhi’ not suddhi. This means the family disowned her forever. On the 11th day of tyag(disowning), the family performed ‘tyagi homa and karma.’ A community feast was organised for kinsmen, relatives, and co-villagers.”
Father Biswajit Mohapatra said, “If a daughter does not side with her family, she will never support anyone. I took such a step because I want no sons or daughters of other families to commit such mistakes as done by my daughter. This is a message for the public.”
However, the girl, Payal Mohapatra, in a video message, alleged that she was being tortured by her family. “Nobody kidnapped me. I came with him at my will. They were harassing me physically and mentally. I am safe here. I have told the police that I am over 18 years old. If anything happens to me and Akash or his family, then my family and some antisocial people of the village will be responsible.”
