Bhubaneswar: A young woman allegedly consumed poison inside the premises of the Itamati Police Station in Nayagarh district on Monday, reportedly in protest against police inaction on her repeated complaints of harassment.
“I did not get justice, which is why I consumed poison at the police station. I had filed a complaint after the accused assaulted me,” the woman said while speaking to reporters from her hospital bed.
She alleged that the family members of a local youth—who had been in a relationship with her—continuously harassed her, offered her money to withdraw her case, and threatened to kill her and her family if she did not comply.
“They used abusive language, beat up my brother, and warned that we had no support or money to fight back,” she said.
According to her, the youth had established a physical relationship with her under the false promise of marriage. When he refused to marry her, she filed a police complaint, leading to his arrest. However, he was granted bail soon after. The woman claimed the police invoked weaker sections in the FIR, which facilitated his early release.
She further alleged that after the youth was released, he and his family continued to assault and intimidate her family.
“They have installed CCTV cameras and recorded only the parts where my brother, in anger, damaged their property. But we do not have cameras to record how they have threatened and assaulted us,” she said.
On Sunday, her brother was allegedly assaulted again, prompting her to approach the police once more. Instead, she was allegedly threatened with legal action against her brother.
Unable to bear the pressure and feeling hopeless, the woman consumed poison she had carried with her to the police station. She was immediately rushed to the Nayagarh District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), where her condition is said to be stable.
Following the incident, Nayagarh Tehsildar visited the hospital and recorded her statement.
