MANDI BAHAUDDIN-Government enacted several laws to provide protection to the women but they are not being implemented in letter and spirit. Justice system is also archaic and faulty. High fees and long litigation further compound the situation. Violence against women is increasing and in many cases, victims do not reveal the brutality they suffer since a stigma is attached to it.
These views were expressed by a victim of violence, Rukhsana Kausar, daughter of Lal Khan, resident of Kashmir Colony while talking to media persons here the other day. She said she is daughter of a labourer who died about seven years ago. She has mother and younger sisters and a brother. She started a home based tuition centre where she prepared students for various educational examinations and earned livelihood for the family. A 27-year-old bandit namely Humair Raza who resides in her locality started making attempts on cellphone to persuade her into illicit relations with him, but she blocked his calls. Then he made calls from different numbers and tried to force her to marry to him. But she did not give him response. He then threatened her with dire consequences if she did not accept his offer for marriage, she said. She further alleged that one day she was coming home when he intercepted her and put a cloth around her neck. He then dragged her to a nearby house where he stripped her naked and shot a video on cellphone. Later, he threatened her to accept his marriage offer or he would upload the video on social media otherwise.
She said that she did not reveal the incident to anyone. She said the bandit again with some co-accused caught her on the way and forcibly took her to a house where they attempted to rape her. She resisted and made hue and cry for help. People came rushing and saved her, she said. During scuffle, she received bruises on her body and was taken to hospital. Police also reached the spot and registered a case against the culprits (on Nov 1). Police arrested some of the accused and then allowed them to seek pre-arrest bail.
She said now all the accused are on bail. Police have not completed investigation so far, she added and alleging that police are forcing her to compromise with the accused party. She said she called on the DPO and the Saddr DSP for help but they also pressurized her to compromise with the accused.
She appealed to media to highlight her plight to bring it to the notice of the authorities concerned so that she could be provided with justice and protection.