A tribal man in Odisha’s Keonjhar district deserted his wife, who gave birth to 11 children which included a stillborn after she underwent a tubectomy operation, accusing her of turning into impure.
Tired of giving birth to a child every year since her marriage to one Rabi Dehury, Janaki Dehury, a Bhuyan tribal woman, underwent tubectomy at the Telkoi community health centre. Rabi, an everyday labourer, had married Janaki after his first spouse died 11 years ago.
After the marriage, Janaki kept on giving birth to one baby every year, which ruined her health. Janaki underwent a tubectomy at the family planning camp after she was persuaded by local ASHA worker Bijaylaxmi Biswal regarding her health.
However, after coming home, her husband Rabi drove her away from home, accusing her of becoming impure. “He told his wife that she had spoiled the family name and had become unfit to conduct ‘Shraddh’ rituals for her forefathers. Since Wednesday, Janaki and her 10 children have been staying under a Mango tree outside the house as Rabi would not let her enter,” said the ASHA worker.
