RAUTAHAT, Feb 22: Thirty-five-year-old Champa Devi Bhagat of Matsari VDC-7 was thrashed by Rakesh Dhani of the same locality last Saturday. Bhagat says Dhani had attacked her 'without any reason'.
The matter was keenly followed by Women and Children Service Center, Garuda and police's help was sought to settle the matter. Bhagat was then called to the police station to file a complaint, which she did. However, even after 10 days, she says that the police have not shown any interest in arresting the culprit.
“The case is clear. She has been beaten mercilessly. There are injury marks all over her body. Yet, the police did not take the matter seriously,” said staff of the center. They allege that cases of violence against women are taken very lightly. Most of the times police persuade the victims to reconcile.
Just three days ago, two women in the same village were manhandled by their neighbors. Police did not respond well in this case too, according to the center. “We register dozens of cases of violence against women every month. However, getting justice is an uphill battle as police do not give due attention to such cases,” said one of the staff at the center.
Asarfi Bhagat, husband of Champa Devi, stated that 'upper-class people' have good links with the police and so it is hard to get justice for them. “In villages, rich and high-class people have the upper hand. Even police support them. So we have nowhere to go when our sisters and wife are beaten or mistreated by them,” he said.
Meanwhile, SP Yagya Binod Pokharel stated that cases of violence against women are often very complex. Police say they cannot provide shelter to women and so they are forced to ask the women to get back home and reconcile with their husbands.
“We take some cases more seriously. Even in Bhagat's case, we had referred her to hospital instantly and investigation is underway. We are not going to let the culprit go scot free,” he said.
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