Pregnant woman thrashed by forest guard in Odisha

A pregnant lady was allegedly forced to do about 20 sit-ups and was thrashed by a forest guard here on Saturday on suspicion of stealing wood from the forest area.

Describing her ordeal, the victim said, "Kavita came to our home searching for some stolen woods. When she couldn't find any stolen items with us, she got angry and started thrashing my mother. When I objected, she thrashed me too."

"Though I kept pleading to release me as I am pregnant, she beat me black and blue and I ended up with a broken hand," she added.

Saroj Kumar Panda, Dudhiani Forest Ranger, said, "A lady forest guard of the Dudhiani range under the Karanjia forest division (identified by the victim as Kavita), had assaulted her and her elderly mother in Barhapanapashi village under Karanjia forest division of Mayurbhanj. The pregnant lady was also forced to do sit-ups."

Later, the forest guard reportedly brought the mother and daughter to her range office and thrashed them there, she added.

The pregnant woman has sustained a fracture in one of her hands, told the official.

"The accused has been suspended and is currently under police custody," said Tapas Ranjan Dehuri, Tahsildar of Karanjia.