Woman beaten up, branded witch for ‘not bringing dowry’

AS BOTH PARTIES HAVE LODGED COMPLAINTS AGAINST EACH OTHER, RAIPUR BHILWARA POLICE CLAIMED THE CASE WAS COMPLICATED

JAIPUR: A woman in Bhilwara has accused her in-laws of harassment for dowry and branding her as a witch.

Parsi Devi, 21, who was married three years ago to Mukesh from Chileshwar village, lodged an FIR against her in-laws and her husband at Raipur Bhilwara police station on May 4.

But till now there hasn’t been any arrests in the case.

“The first year-and-a-half after marriage was fine but trouble started when my sister-in-law, a patwari, began to beat me and tell the family that since my marriage, the cow in our house is giving less milk and livestock were dying as I am a witch,” said Devi.

“While physically assaulting me, they would say I should bring `3 lakh from home. They also asked me why I had come empty-handed.”

She added her husband never came to her rescue and beat her. The complainant said Bakshi Ram, the husband of her sisterin-law and school teacher, also harassed her.

Devi is living with her parents at Shemlat village in Bhilwara. Police said her husband’s family has lodged an FIR accusing Devi of framing them as Indra Devi, the sister-in-law whom Parsi accused in her FIR, is not a resident of Chileshwar village.

“Till now, no arrests have been made. We often get threats from her husband’s family. Before she left their house, they threatened to kill her if she returns. Police is turning a blind eye,” alleged Bhairo Lal, father of Parsi Devi.

“The case was lodged on May 4. We have registered a case for dowry harassment and for branding the woman as a witch under relevant sections of the IPC. The matter is complicated because family of the accused has also lodged a counter FIR,” said station house officer Dashrath Singh, Raipur Bhilwara police station.