Chameli Ojha’s Ordeal Sparks PIL in Orissa High Court
Kendrapara district’s Tikiri Gram Panchayat Sarpanch, Chameli Ojha, has become the face of a growing debate on women’s safety in grassroots politics after alleging custodial assault inside Mahakalapada police station.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Bharatiya Vikas Parishad in the Odisha High Court has named top officials, including the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, DGP, Kendrapara SP, and local administrators, demanding a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe.
Ojha, a tribal woman leader, claims she was targeted with false cases for exposing irregularities in local governance.
Her ordeal has triggered statewide outrage, with rights groups and citizens calling for accountability.
She has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Mangal, seeking intervention. Recently, the SDJM court granted her bail, offering temporary relief.
Legal experts say the case is a litmus test for institutional safeguards protecting elected women representatives, especially from marginalised communities.
The High Court’s response will be closely watched as Odisha grapples with questions of justice, governance, and police accountability.
