Sachi had lodged a complaint at the District Police Office, Siraha on January 17 after knowing that her husband Ram Suphal Yadav was getting married to another woman. “He married another woman as the police did not act on my complaint,” she said. Ram Suphal married another woman on February 22. [break]
According to Sachi, Ram Suphal married another woman when she was in her maternal house for treatment. Ram Suphal thrashed her frequently.
Sachi´s brother Birendra Yadav said he had also visited the area police office (APO) in Sukhipur VDC to report Ram Suphal´s second marriage but sub-inspector Deepak Bishwokarma chided him instead of taking any action against the offender.
Bishwokarma said Ram Suphal married another woman because Sachi had started ignoring her husband, stated Bishwokarma, adding, “That is why the police didn´t pay attention to the complaint lodged by Sachi.”
But Shyam Kumari Sah, a right activist said the police have been trying to blame the victim instead of taking action against Ram Suphal for polygamy. “Police negligence encouraged Ram Suphal to marry another woman.” added she.
Sunik Kumar Sah, another rights activist, said as the law prohibits polygamy, Ram Suphal should be brought to book. Sachi has currently been living in her maternal house along with her son and two daughters.
Meanwhile, a team of rights activists in Bidhanagar of the district freed a woman who was locked up by her in-laws on Wednesday. Rupa Das was locked up by her in-laws after her husband Pramod Das married another woman. According to relatives of the victim, they rescued her with assistance from an organization after the police didn´t act on their complaint.
Manoj Kumar Neupane, chief of the DPO, in Siraha said, “The police cannot interfere in such cases.”
As per the existing law, polygamy is punishable by law and the person guilty of the offence may face up to three years in jail, a fine of Rs 5,000, or both.
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