RAYAGADA, India – July 12:In a shocking incident from Kanchamajhira village in Odisha’s Rayagada district, a couple was allegedly subjected to a brutal punishment by villagers for marrying against local customs. The couple was reportedly tied to a yoke like oxen and forced to plough a field, a harrowing act captured in a video that has since gone viral on social media, prompting police to initiate action.
According to national media reports, both the husband and wife are residents of Kanchamajhira. They recently fell in love and got married. However, some villagers expressed strong opposition to their union, particularly because the woman married her paternal aunt’s son, a relationship considered forbidden under local customs.
As punishment for their marriage, the couple was reportedly tied to a wooden yoke.
Video footage of the incident shows two individuals striking the couple with sticks as they were forced to plough the field. It is alleged that while many villagers witnessed the ordeal, no one intervened to stop it. Reports also indicate that after ploughing the field, the couple was taken to a temple where villagers performed rituals to atone for their “sins.”
Police have confirmed that a team has been dispatched to the village for investigation and that a case will be registered soon.
