Woman in Andhra Faces Boiling Oil Test to Prove Fidelity

Official prevents harmful ritual...

In Andhra Pradesh's Puthalapattu, a 50-year-old mother of four was rescued from immersing her hands in boiling oil to demonstrate her loyalty to her husband. This was possible due to the prompt action of a government official who acted on a tip-off.

The occurrence took place in a tribal community located at Thatithopu village near Thenepalle in Puthalapattu mandal, Chittoor district, as reported by an official on Thursday

"At approximately 10:30 am, the woman was on the verge of undergoing the boiling oil test, but I arrived just in time and successfully rescued her," stated the Panchayat Raj Department official to news agency PTI.

Following the ritual, a five-litre quantity of oil was heated and poured into a newly adorned earthen pot for the 'fidelity test.' Elders and villagers gathered to witness the event, as mentioned by the official.

Once more, the 57-year-old husband, suspecting his wife's fidelity, decided to address the issue with the elders in his tribal community, initiating a test to ascertain his wife's character.

The official reported that the woman's husband had purportedly subjected her to physical abuse on multiple occasions.

The official explained that, based on an age-old custom of the Yerukula tribe to which they belong, the woman whose fidelity is questioned is traditionally required to immerse her hands in boiling oil in the presence of community members, testing whether her hands will endure without burning.

The official, who intervened based on a tip-off, explained that if the woman's hands remain unscathed, the tribe will conclude her faithfulness to her husband. However, if her hands do get burnt, they will infer her as 'unfaithful'.

Despite being a mother of four grown-up children, the woman consented to undergo the fidelity test. Everything was set for the ritual when the local Mandal Parishad Development Officer (MPDO) arrived just in time to intervene and halt this traditional practice.

The official added that the woman agreed to the test, believing it was preferable to demonstrate her innocence rather than enduring her husband's frequent physical abuse.

No police case was filed against those involved in the matter, but the husband and other family members were summoned to the police station, counseled, and subsequently released.

Officials are actively monitoring the community and have scheduled additional counseling sessions along with visits by police and other authorities.