Koraput: In a shocking incident, a young couple was subjected to a barbaric punishment by a kangaroo court at Narimitiki village under Bargi Panchayat in Narayanpatna block of Koraput district.
The couple was allegedly in a romantic relationship despite belonging to the same clan, a violation of local tribal customs that consider them as brother and sister.
According to sources, the incident came to light after a video went viral on social media on Sunday. The footage shows the couple being yoked like oxen with a wooden plough across their shoulders and forced to till a village road in front of onlookers. Following the public humiliation, they were reportedly made to undergo a traditional purification ritual.
Preliminary investigations suggest the incident took place a few days earlier. The young man was allegedly found to be in a relationship with his relative’s sister — considered taboo under prevailing tribal norms. While such punitive actions are seen as customary in some local communities.
In a related incident reported two days ago, a kangaroo court in Kanjamajodi village under Rayagada district meted out a similar punishment to another young couple for violating same-clan norms. In response, the Rayagada district administration has constituted a four-member inquiry committee to probe the incident.
