Ex-minister's daughter-in-law receives acid attack threat

Barsa Swony Choudhury, an alleged dowry torture victim and daughter-in-law of a former minister, was reportedly threatened in a letter with acid attack if she tried to enter politics.
The letter came today, five days after the Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) of the Odisha Police filed chargesheet against former law minister and Biju Janata Dal leader Raghunath Mohanty, his son and three other members of his family in a dowry torture case last year.
Barsa's father Kishore Choudhury has received a postcard at his village home in Balasore district.
"It (postcard) has warned my daughter to refrain from any attempt to enter politics. It says if she makes any such attempt, she would be attacked with acid," Choudhury said.

"I met the Balasore superintendent of police, apprised him of the threat to my daughter and sought adequate security to her," Choudhury told reporters.
"I have asked for a thorough examination of the post card that the family members of Barsa received today. The post card would be sent to the fingerprint section which I hope will help the police nab the miscreants," Balasore SP N Pankaj said.

Barsa was provided security after she met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on February 21.
Choudhury said this might be the handiwork of the supporters of Raghunath Mohanty, against whom Barsa has filed a dowry torture case following which he was dropped from the cabinet.

Mohanty was arrested from his hideout in Kolkata along with wife. Their son Rajashree was also arrested in March last year.