Woman branded with hot iron rod for dowry in Bhojpur, struggling for life

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara : Ritu Devi, was married 10 years back, was brutally beaten and branded with a hot iron rod allegedly at her in-laws place at village Sambalpur Gangauli under Barhara police station in Bhojpur district on July 21, 2018,  for a motorcycle. As her parents came to know about it, they rushed to her in-laws’s house and took her to Sadar Hospital, Ara, where she is struggling for life.

Ritu Devi of Vishunpur village under Koelwar police station in Bhojpur district  was married to Mantu Pandey, son of Sukhdeo Pandey of village Sambalpur Gangauli, in 2008 and ever since her in-laws were allegedly demanding more dowry including cash and a motorcycle.

As Ritu’s parents were poor, they could not fulfill their demands. So they started torturing her physically and mentally. Her parents had also lodged an FIR against her in-laws with Koelwar police station in this connection. The police mediated between the two sides and directed the in-laws to take Ritu Devi with them and keep her peacefully and a bond was also filled up in this regard.

But Ritu’s in-laws continued to torture her, physically this time, for a motorcycle. They locked her in a room for three days and thrashed and branded her with hot iron rod and also did not give her anything to eat. On July 21, 2018, her in-laws again branded her with hot iron rod and thrashed  her. The villagers informed her parents who came immediately and rushed her to Sadar Hospital, Ara, on July 22 where she is struggling for life.

Ritu Devi told this Reporter at the Sadar Hospital that she has two children. She alleged that her in-laws always threatened her with dire consequences. They had locked her up in a room for the last three days, thrashed her and did not give anything to eat.

SHO, Barhara police station, when contacted, showed ignorance and said no FIR has so far been lodged by anyone and added police would take action as soon as an FIR is lodged.