Fear of Law forces In-laws to Mend their Ways

Gairo Devi from Bheel tribe was brought up at Rawataram’s house in Panawara in Barmer district. Four years back she got married to Jogaram Bheel, resident of Kanod village. After the marriage her father sent her to in-laws’ home with money, gifts and with everything that he could afford. The in-laws gave her respect.

When she got pregnant, her husband started beating and abusing her for unknown reasons. This assuault continued till her child died in the womb. The irony was that she was not protected by her mother-in-law also. Hoping against hope, she thought that everything would be alright and she never told anything to her parents.

After one year when she got pregnant again, her in-laws started demanding money and jwelleries in the name of dowry and threatened her to throw out of the house. Gairo made it clear to her husband that her parents were not in a position to meet their demands and requested them not to harass her for the same. This further infuriated her husband, who stopped her food. Because of hunger, her foetus again died.

One day they tried to kill her by pouring kerosene and putting her on fire. She put her up in front of her parents and to the respectable persons of the village. They started looking into the matter and called both Jogaram and her in-laws, who never came. Instead, Jogaram went to Rawataram’s house and compromised. Rawataram sent her daughter with her.

But something else was cooking in Jogaram’s mind. Soon he tried to kill Gairo by closing her inside a hut and setting it on fire. Gairo somehow saved herself and reached the parents. On May 14, 2008, Rawataram and Gairo came to the organisation and requested it to help in getting justice.

The workers of the organisation and the affected family went to the Superintendent of Police, Barmer, and gave application for justice. The SP took Gairo’s statements and on May 17, 2008, issued summons to Jogaram, her mother-in-law and sister-in-law through Gida police station. As soon as the warrant came to them, they got depressed and felt sorry for their fault in front of the respectable persons of the village. Those respectable people said that law will take its own course. This made them approach Rawataram and to forgive them. Everyone agreed to reach on a compromise in writing in the court. The lady police at the women security and counseling centre counseled the couple, who then promised to live happily together.

This incident shows that women can end their harassment through their inner will power.