Jharkhand: ‘BJP leader made tribal domestic help lick urine off floor, hit with iron rod’

The BJP on Tuesday suspended its leader Seema Patra from Jharkhand after she was accused of torturing and confining a 29-year-old tribal woman working at her house. The incident came to light when the victim, identified as Sunita, a resident of Gumla in Jharkhand, was rescued by the Ranchi police on 22 August.

Tale of torture

Teeth smashed in, Sunita, who is undergoing treatment at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) in Ranchi, narrates the tales of torture she had to go through while she was working at the BJP leader’s house. In a video widely shared online on Tuesday, the tribal woman said that her teeth were smashed and she was made to lick urine off the floor. She said she was beaten up with a hot tawa and rods. The heart-rending video shows her lying on a hospital bed with her teeth smashed and brutal injury marks on her body. Sunita, unable to sit up, narrates the tale of her assault, stating that she was abused for as many as six years by Patra. Sunita had asked Patra for her permission to go back to her native village, but she allegedly beat her up, and locked her in a room. According to media reports, Sunia hailed from Jharkhand’s Gumla district. She began working for the Patras about 10 years back.

Who is Seema Patra

Seema Patra, who is suspended from the saffron party, is wife of a retired IAS officer Maheshwar Patra. She was a member of the national working committee of the BJP’s women wing. According to her Facebook profile, Patra is the state convenor of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign. She is a former member of the national working committee of the BJP women’s wing, Mahila Morcha.

Tormentor’s son becomes rescuer

The 29-year-old tribal woman said that she was rescued by Patra’s son, Ayushman. “It is only because of him that I am alive,” Sunita reported. In fact, it was Ayushman who reported the matter to the police. As per media reports, Sunita went with the daughter of Patras, Vatsala, to Delhi to be her domestic worker. About four years ago, both Vatsala and Sunita returned to Ranchi. – INDIA NEWS STREAM

(With agencies inputs)