In Odisha, a bizarre marital drama has been grabbing headlines for weeks now. We had earlier reported how a young woman in Odisha’s Berhampur city had sat in a Dharna outside the house of her in-laws after the ‘groom’ did not show up on their wedding day. A lot has happened in the case since then.
On December 20, dozens of women came out in support of the bride, broke down the locked gate of the house of her in-laws and barged inside.
#ବାଉଁଶ_ଧରିଲେ, #ଗେଟକୁ_ପିଟିଲେ
— Kanak News (@kanak_news) December 20, 2021
ସୁମିତ-ତପସ୍ୱିନୀ କଳହ ଭିତରେ ତାତିଲେ ସ୍ଥାନୀୟ ଲୋକ । ବାଉଁଶ ଧରି ସୁମିତଙ୍କ ଘର ଗେଟକୁ ପିଟିଲେ, ଘର ଭିତରେ ଧସେଇ ପଶିଲେ । #Sumit #Tapaswini #Ganjam #Odisha #KanakNews pic.twitter.com/1H1P7HAWdy
The ‘bride’ Tapaswini is legally married to the ‘groom’ Dr Sumit. The couple had been in a relationship for years and had registered their wedding with the local authorities. However, some problems popped up and the woman had filed a case of domestic violence against her husband and inlaws. She has been accusing her father-in-law, a wealthy businessman of threatening her and forcefully keeping her husband away from her.
Social worker groups got involved. The man’s family reportedly convinced the woman to withdraw her court case against them and promised that since the duo was not married as per Hindu traditions and was only married on papers, a traditional wedding would be held.
However, they reneged on their promise and on the wedding day, while Tapaswini was ready as a bride, the groom never showed up. The bride started a dharna outside the inlaws house at Berhampur’s Bramanagar area.
Demanding justice, Tapaswini has been insisting that the only thing she wants, is to live with her husband in a normal marital relationship. Giving its verdict on Tapaswini’s petition, the local SDJM court had ordered her husband Dr Sumit to live with Tapaswini for a certain period of time before deciding on cohabitation or divorce.
The local police were ordered to provide suitable accommodation to the couple. Under police protection, the couple was ordered to live for 7 days at a govt bungalow. During the period, no family members were allowed to meet the couple.
After the mandatory week of cohabitation, the husband, who is a government doctor, went to report at his workplace and went incommunicado.
Tapaswini had alleged again that her inlaws are preventing her husband from living with her. Meanwhile, the husband had shared an audio file, saying that he is suffering from severe physical and mental stress and hence he cannot live with Tapaswini.
Both parties had confirmed that during the 1 week, no proximity was developed between them.
Along with social worker Pramila Tripathi, Tapaswini had resumed her Dharna before her inlaws’ house at Brahmanagar.
On December 20, dozens of women from various social worker groups and women organisations gathered near the house in support of Tapaswini. The women even tried to enter into the house forcefully, declaring that Tapaswini has the right to live in that house as she is the legally wedded wife of Dr Sumit.
#BREAKING
— OTV (@otvnews) December 21, 2021
Tapaswini-Sumit Marital Dispute: Sec 144 clamped in Brahma Nagar #Berhampur for indefinite period; decision taken after tension erupts near Sumit’s house post Court hearing on Monday; police force deployed near Sumit's house to prevent law & order problem #Odisha
The women managed to break the gates open on Monday, December 20.
Tapaswini-Sumit marital discord: Tension erupts after a group of local women reportedly barge into Sumit’s house by breaking open its gate pic.twitter.com/lBnM4GVzhB
— OTV (@otvnews) December 20, 2021
Dr Sumit is seeking a divorce from Tapaswini. But while the matters are sub-judice, the case and Tapaswini’s Dharna outside her inlaws house has been grabbing a lot of public attention. As of the latest reports, Sumit has moved to the Odisha High Court against the SDJM court order asking the couple to live together.
The Berhampur police have imposed Section 144 around the house of the inlaws in the Brahmanagar area to prevent any law and order situation.
Another video that has gone viral on social media shows the woman and her husband (not visible in the video) having an argument where he is accusing her of being in contact with another man. The woman then says that she will agree to the divorce only after he pays her Rs 8 lakhs.
Tapaswini has stated after the viral video that Dr Sumit has taken money from her father for his studies and she wants it back.
The case has captivated the attention of the public. The family drama where the woman is proclaiming her undying love for her husband, and declaring that she will not leave her husband at any cost while camping out in bitter winter cold outside the family home of her inlaws, is now the dominant news in the state.
