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Awakenings
May 2004
In this issue:
Copyright © 2001-2002
Jagriti International.
All rights reserved.
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May 2004
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OLAKH DEMANDS JUSTICE FOR INDIAN WOMAN
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The following
is a summary of a human rights issue reported by OLAKH, a Jagriti
partner women's organization in India. Unfortunately, these
events are common in countries like India where women are often
still treated as property and lack basic human rights.
On April 23, 2004, the in-laws of an Indian woman named Parul
Patel reported her "suicide" after finding her hanging from
a ceiling fan in her house. However, the suspicious circumstances
surrounding her death resemble murder rather than suicide.
Parul Patel had been married for a little over a year, a time
during which many Indian brides face intense pressure from their
husband's family to pay the dowry. If the wife's family is unable
to pay the dowry, which is often the case, she may face the
threat of violence and sometimes murder by her husband and his
family. In recognition of this fact, Indian law requires that
if a woman dies under suspicious circumstances within seven
years of her marriage, evidence must be collected via photographs
or videotape at the scene of death. The body is not to be removed
until an investigation is performed in the presence of the executive
magistrate. In addition, in these circumstances, a post-mortem
report must be certified by two doctors prior to performing
the deceased's final rituals. Unfortunately, it appears that
the local police have not followed any of these laws, nor have
they provided any of the required documentation such as photographs
related to Parul's death. It is also difficult to believe that
Parul could have hanged herself without disturbing any of the
ten family members with whom she lived, especially the four
that were sleeping in the next room.
Given these circumstances, OLAKH and other women's organizations
are demanding that the police properly investigate Parul Patel's
case, disclose the evidence including photographs or videotape
collected at the scene, provide the required post-mortem reports
including the marks on the body, and reveal the findings of
the investigation as approved by the magistrate. After OLAKH
and other women's groups made these demands and protested this
injustice in front of Parul's house, a police counselor issued
a statement to the local media saying that, "these activists
have come here for cheap publicity, and they all get drunk in
the evening." In response to this baseless accusation, OLAKH
filed a complaint against the policeman.
Jagriti International supports OLAKH's quest for truth and
justice on behalf of Parul Patel and all women. |
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