Keonjhar: Tribal woman, mother of 11 children, forced to sleep under tree for undergoing family planning surgery
By Akshaya Patnaik
Keonjhar. 19: A tribal woman and mother of 11 children has been forced to sleep under a tree for three days now after her husband threw her out of their house for undergoing strerilisation procedure (tubectomy).
The incident was reported from the remote Dimiria village under Telkoi block in Odisha’s Keonjhar district. The woman, Janaki Dehury, now has to endure the hardship because her husband, Ravi Dehury believes that Janaki has become unholy after a doctor performed an operation on her.
As per reports, Janaki underwent a tubectomy after the local ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) worker convinced her about the perils of giving birth every year for more than 10 years.
“I have 10 children now after the first one died during delivery. It had become embarrassing for me to get pregnant every year as my children have grown up. Every other woman is undergoing sterilisation. This is nothing new, but my husband does not understand,” said Janaki while wiping tears rolling down her cheeks.
The ASHA worker of Dimiria village, Bijaylaxmi Biswal said, “I have been watching Janaki’s health condition which has gone from bad to worse after each delivery. She has become frail and can’t handle any more pregnancy. Apart from that, she can’t even provide food for all her children.”
“I persuaded her to go under the scissors and she agreed. However, her husband has gone ballistic after hearing this. Ravi is not allowing her inside her home. I have tried to make Ravi understand her situation, but he is adamant and threatening to kill me if I go near him,” Biswal added.
The local Telkoi tehesil administration on Saturday provided shelter to the aggrieved woman assured to look into the matter.
“This is a sensitive issue and we would try to make Ravi understand,” the local health officer said.
