**Kendrapada:** The young and beautiful 19-year-old theatre actress named Badani Samal, who has remained chained in her own house by parents, is yet to be rescued and treated for a mental ailment.
According to Manoj Ku Nyak, President, Kendrapada Seba Samiti,”She was an excellent theatre actress but the superstitious treatment procedure followed by her parents aggravated her mental condition. If som good Samaritan or the government authorites come forward to help this poor family and bear the treatment expenses, I am sure that the girl can be totally cured.”
Notably, the young girl hailing from Barajabahaguda of Kendrapada district, was working in the local Ram Lilas and Jatras from a very young age.
“Badani always played the lead role, that of Goddess Sita and was very good at her work. I danced with her in Jatras. She worked for around 3-4 years but now as her mental condition is a little disturbed, she is chained by her parents,” informed Mamta Samal, her friend.
Her parents, Shiba Samal and Puspa Samal work as daily wage labourers. The parents allege that she is mentally deranged and goes out of control thrashing the neighbours and kids. Unable to control her, they decided to tie her in chains.
“As she always creates nuisance when let free, and runs here and there, so we decided to tie her in chains. She beats the small children in neighbourhood, and we were unable to go out to work. Having no other option, we confined her for her own safety,” lamented the Puspa Samal, her mother.
Ironically, the fifth class drop out who started earning at a very young age by acting in Ramlilas and Jatras is yet to visit a doctor for treatment.
“She was brought to home one day by the Jatra colleagues as she fell down during one of her performances. Foaming at mouth, her head was also reeling. The parents suspected some sort of evil spirit overpowering her and took her to the village quack for treatment but all in vain. Her condition only deteriorated,” informed Pramila Samal, her neighbour.
The illiterate and ill-informed parents even tried witchcraft to cure her of her ailment. They have tried many sort of traditional medicines but nothing worked.
“The parents are daily labourers having no ration card, BPL card, or any kind of asset. They don’t even have a house. In such situation, how can they afford to treat their daughter in a hospital. If the government steps in or any other organization helps, then only the girl can be cured,” said Kalindhi Samal, another neighbour.
OMMCOM NEWS tried to contact the Kendrapada Collector on this issue but he remained incommunicado.