Banda District. In Banda’s Gargpur village, 3 years after a complaint had filed against them, 4 people of a family were finally arrested for the death of their daughter-in law, on 12 January 2015. The woman’s family had filed a complaint against her in-laws for for dowry harassment in 2011.
Lalit Kishor, a resident of Bhabhai village, in the neighbouring Chitrakoot district, said, ‘I married off my daughter Sadhna in December 2010 to one Brijendra Kumar. After the wedding, Brijendra’s family demanded 50,000 rupees cash and a motorcycle. Since I was unable to meet their demands, they burnt my daughter alive on 4 December 2011. She died the same day.’
Lalit Kishor registered a complaint with the Badausa Police Station the very next day in 2011. The F.I.R. was registered against Sadhna’s husband Brijendra, brother-in-law Pawan, father-in-law Tungnath, sister-in-law Rachchu, and mother-in-law Ranno Devi. Sections 498A (harassment for dowry), 304B (dowry death), and Clause ¾ of the Dowry Prohibition Act were slapped on those named in the F.I.R.
Despite the severity of the report, the case dragged on for over 3 years. The post mortem report also concluded that there were 6 injury marks on Sadhna’s body before she had been burnt. Finally, on 12 January of this year, Judge Brijlal Chaurasia pronounced the sentence. 4 members of the family have been booked for murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. They have been punished with life imprisonment and a 10,000-rupee fine each.
Sadhna’s father says, ‘I don’t know whether to be happy about the judgment or not but I am relieved that the culprits have been brought to justice.’
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