High lights of Some of the Success Stories of Tripura Commission for Women

April 2007-March 2008

(1)

Alimony for Lalthanwami, a Mizo Woman of Jampui Hills

The Commission received a complaint from Ms. Lalthlanawami on 4.5.07 in the context that she was compelled to leave her marital house due to torture of her husband and finally was divorced by her by her husband Laldinpui on 27th February 2005. Since then she had been passing hard days with her two sons as she was not given a farthing at the time divorce according to Mizo Customary law. On receipt of the complaint, the Commission arranged a counselling at Agartala on 9.7.07 but Laldimpui could not be made convinced to give any alimony to his divorced wife. After two months, on 13.8.07, another counselling was arranged at Kanchanpur Dak Banglow where a decision was taken that to pay a sum of Rs. 1500/- per month as maintenance till the final decision is taken. Again on 7.11.07 a counseling meeting was arranged in Eden Tourist Lodge at Vangmun. After a prolong discussion Laldinpui agreed to pay a sum of Rs.50, 000/- as compensation. According to Mizo customary law the divorced wife is not entitled to get any alimony from her husband. In this case the husband and in-laws and the social leaders were not ready to pay the alimony as it goes against their customary law. But at last due to repeated persuasion of the Commission, husband and in-laws of Lalthanwami at last agreed to pay the alimony, whatever small it is, to her on humanitarian ground. Thus, giving alimony after divorce, as in the case of Lalthanwami , was first of its kind among the Mizo community of Jampui Hills in Tripura.
 

(2)

Rescue of Suparna from Trafficking in Haryana

During the visit of the Chairperson of the Commission to Hrishyamukh, South Tripura on 25.8.07 one Krishna Banik, resident of Hrishyamukh, along with his widow mother had met the Chairperson and submitted a prayer with a request for rescuing his minor sister Suparna from Hariyana. An 11 year old minor girl Suparna went to Hariyana with her elder sister Aparna and her husband Birendra Singh, Haryana man. After a few months when Krishna Banik requested Birendra Singh to send back Suparna to them. But Birendra Sing denied sending her back inspite of repeated requests of Krishna and his mother. From telephonic information Krishna apprehended that Suparna might be trafficked as Birendra Singh settled marriage of Suparna with another Haryana manwa.. The Commission immediately took up the matter with the DGP, Tripura Police, the Superintendent of Police, South Tripura and Chairperson, Haryanan State Commission for Women on 1.9.07, 27.8.07 and 19.9.07 respectively. The Tripura Police took prompt action on it and a team of Police Officers including a woman police rescued the girl from Hariyana and handed over the said girl to her to her mother in the 2nd week of November, 2007.

(3)

Justice for Anita Basak

The Commission received a complaint from Smt. Anita Basak (Ghosh) of Rabindra Nagar on 17.3.2007. Her husband Sri Gopi Ghosh, a primary School teacher, ousted Anita from his house on the plea that Anita was elder in age than that of Gopi. It is to be noted that mere elderliness of his wife in age could not be a ground for divorce/desertion. So the Commission tried to reconcile the matter in several sittings with the couple. During counselling it was revealed that the allegation of the husband was far away from true. But Gopi was adament to stick to his decision of divorce and not agreed to pay any maintenance allowance to his wife. The Commission helped the victim to file a court case against her husband and made necessary arrangement for extending all legal support in her court case. Anita lodged complaint with the Commission on 17.3.2007and the Family Court, Agartala passed an order on 15.11.07 directing the DDO of Gopi Ghosh to pay a sum of Rs. 1,500/- per month to Anita. Further, Gopi's appeal for divorce was also rejected by the learned court on 17.8.2007. The whole process of the court was completed within one year. The Commission welcomed the Family Court for rendering justice to a woman so speedily. What was most remarkable and exemplary in that case, was the role of mother-in-law of Anita who stood against his son and argued in favour of her daughter-in-law in the court at the time of proceedings of the case.

(4)

Rehabilitation of a Rape Victim Minor Tribal Girl

The Commission went to the remote village Kanpui in Dasda, Kanchanpur for conducting an enquiry on 13th August 2007 on the incident of rape of a minor tribal girl as published in Syandan on 6/8/07. It was revealed from the statement of the victim girl and her mother that this eleven-year-old tribal girl was raped by one Sukesh Das of Dasda Bazar on 28th July 2007. She belonged to a very poor family. At the time of incident she was returning from the Dasda market to take more pineapple from their home. Her mother was selling pineapple in the market. The extreme crime happened on her made her severely depressed and her parents appealed to the Commission for arranging a shelter and education for their traumatized daughter. Accordingly, the Commission requested the Department of SW & SE, Govt. of Tripura. The Department complied immediately and allowed her admission in the Children Home for Girls Unit-II Aboynagar on 30th January 2008. Padmini (not real name) is now very happy in the Home and reading in the Aboynagar School.
 

(5)

Compensation for Namita Biswas, a Deserted Wife

A complaint was registered by Smt. Namita Biswas on 4.3.04 against her husband Sri Asit Debnath regarding torture on her by husband. It was a very long pending case of the Commission. She was tortured as she tried to restrain her husband from keeping extra-marital relation with another lady. After long twelve numbers of counselling for reconciliation, at last both of them decided to dissolve the marriage on mutual consent. Namita demanded Rs. 50,000/- and one ganda of homestead land as permanent alimony from her husband and another amount of Rs.50,000/- for her daughter which she wanted, to be deposited in a fixed deposit scheme to meet the future need of their only daughter. At last Asit Debnath agreed upon all those conditions of the Agreement prepared by the Commission. On the strength of that agreement Hon'ble Family Court, Agartala, passed a decree of divorce between Namita and Asit on 31.8.07.

(6)

Court Case for Tanuja

Tanuja, daughter of a retired teacher was married with Rajiv fulfilling the maximum dowry demand became a victim of post marriage dowry torture of her husband and mother-in-law and was compelled to live in her parental house with their only child. She lodged a complaint with the Commission on 13/12/06 against them. The Commission tried repeatedly for reconciliation but in no good. At the request of the Commission Rajiv started to give Rs. 2000/- per month for his wife and child but he denied to take them back in his family. Rajiv then applied to the Family Court for a decree of divorce. The court however denied to dissolve the marriage and ordered to pay a sum of Rs. 3000/- per month as maintenance to Tanuja and their child responding her prayer on 18.8.07. At the recommendation of the Commission Advocate Sri Kishore Kr. Pal assisted Tanuja in handling both the cases.

(7)

Successful Reconciliation of a Marital Discord

The conjugal relationship of a very young couple Rubi & Sushil was reestablished through 6 hours prolonged counselling on 19/1/08 at Dharmanagar Dak Bangalow where both Chairperson and the Member-Secretary of the Commission were present. Before January 19, 2008, the commission conducted of two more sittings with Rubi and Sushil on receipt of the complaint of Rubi on 10.7.07. Sushil was a self-made young man who had lost his parents at his childhood and disliked other's intervention in his personal affairs. For that reason other relatives misunderstood him which was evident from the record of the complaint. However, after a very careful observation and counselling both the parties were made convinced and ultimately the dispute was reconciled. Since then Rubi and Sushil have been living happily with their only very sweet baby.

(8)

Rehabilitation of two Rape Victim Minor Tribal Girls

The Commission intervened suo moto in the incidents of two rape cases perpetuated on two minor tribal girls, rescued them and provided shelter in Short Stay Home. Commission also arranged their admission in school for continuation of their studies.
One of the victims Mandira (not real name) of Behalabari, Khowai was raped on 30.5.06 by her distant relative Sachindra, father of five children. One of the daughters of said Sachindra was Mandira's classmate and bossom friend. The other case was of Anuva who became prey of lust of 3 brutes on 7.3.08 namely Chandan Kishore Jamatia, Dhani Mohan Jamatia and Jayanta Jamatia. All of them were married men. Specific criminal cases were registered with their respective police stations under the guidance of the Commission. Not only that, the Commission was vigilent during the period of police enquiry of the cases. However, the Police submitted their chargesheets in the court. The Commission expects life conviction in both the cases and waiting for that verdicts of the learned court.

(9)

Compensation for Breaking Contract of Marriage

The marriage of William & Tandra (not real name) was settled by their guardians. As William and his family was Christian, Tandra was compelled to embrace Christianity. Williams's family took some money from Trandra's mother to meet the expense of marriage. The "Mangalacharan" ceremony was over and according to Christian custom the ring was exchanged between William and Tandra. But all on a sudden William refused to marry Tandra and very hurriedly he married another girl. At this Tandra and her widow mother were fallen in a very bad state. They were utterly perplexed and disappointed at this incident and lodged a complaint with the Tripura Commission for Women on 3/5/07. They also filed a lawsuit in the court against William. After as many as nine counselling sessions, at last on 12/2/08 William agreed to pay a sum of rupees 1 lakh to compensate the financial loss and social defamation of the girl caused due to breacking of marriage. The agreement made in the Commission was that Tandra would withdraw the case lodged in the Cort against William. Accordingly William has deposited the amount in the TCW and Tandra had withdrawn the case.
The Commission appreciate the courage with which Tandra and her mother came out to protest such event of betrayal and lodged complaint with the Commission and the Court.It would definitely set a unique example to the girls and parents fallen in such awkward situation. 

 

(10)

Compasation for a Deserted Wife

Learning from a report of Syandan Patrika dated 5/7/05 about Kalpana Chakraborty of Barahaldi , Dasda who was tortured and than deserted by her husband in-laws, the Commission contacted with her. In reply Kalpana informed the Commission that she had filed a case in the Dharmanagar court and at that point of time she was unwilling to approach TCW as she was expecting justice from the court of law. In November 2007 when a team of the Commission visited Dasda, Kalpana met with the Chairperson and complained against her husband. Pradip Chakraborty, husband of Kalpana did not appear before the Commission's office, Agartala at it's call .The Commission arranged a counselling at Kanchanpur Dak Bungalow on 18.1.07. In that counselling Pradip agreed to pay sum of Rs. 90,000/- to his wife Kalpana as lifetime compensation on condition that she would withdraw the court case against Pradip. Pradip had already deposited the amount in the Commission which Kalpana would take from the Commission after withdrawal of the court case. Thus the Commission was able to give relief to Kalpana who had been continuously tortured since her marriage which was solemnized on 22nd November 1997.

(11)

Reconciliation of a Dispute Relatd to Dowry

In these days of consumerism the tourture for dowry has been increasing day by day. Sometimes it happens that even after 10 years of marriage the wife is tortured for dowry. Anjali, a resident of Gurkhabasti , was married with Rabindra Bhattacherjee, a teacher of a Govt. school of Tulabagan in 1996. They have got a 10 yrs old son. Anjali came to the Commission on 3.1.07 with a complaint that she had been often tortured by her husband and in-laws for dowry. She was admitted in G.B Hospital being injured by her husband. The Commission arranged maintenance of Rs. 3000/- per month for the time being and advised them to meet together from time to time to overcome their problems. The Commission also gave sittings with them for 7 times for counseling. At last on 9.4.08 the couple decided finally to live together again at Agartala as their only child Sibendu was reading in Bodhjong School. From the experience gathered so far, the Commission can not but believe that majority of the cases, if not all, can be avoided or solved through proper, sound & repeated counselling. This case is one such good example.
 

(12)

Punishment for Molestation

SA special enquiry team, constituted by the TCW, conducted an enquiry on the report published in Dainik Arohan on 26/3/08 that, an Addl. Public Prosecutor (APP) of Sonamura had been committing crime against women by misusing the power of the post hold by him. The victims gathered a very painful experience of sexual harassment and they became prey of lust of the said APP at the time of their rehearsal for appearing before the court as witnesses.

The Commission met with such three victims but except Serina( not real name) none of them dared to divulge the actual facts and go to the court for shelter . Social stigma and inhibition did not allow them to take shelter of law though they opened their heart to the Commission and demanded punishment of the said APP. 

The team learnt from Sherina D/O Abul Kasim of Rabi Gopal Para, Taksapara, Sonamura that she was raped by her uncle Saiful. She reported it to the Melagarh PS. When the trial stage came, the said APP of her case outraged her modesty by calling her in his house in the name of preparing her to bear witness in the court. Not only that he ruined her case and as a result of which the rapist was acquitted. Now the victim girl appealed to the Commission for justice and shelter. Immediately the Commission arranged her shelter in a home run by NGO to protect her from the rapist who is her next door neighbour. At the request of the Commission ultimately the State Govt. provided her shelter in a Home on 30/6/08.

The Hon'ble High Court has kindly considered her prayer for filing an Appeal Case in the High Court against the judgment of Addl. Session Court, Sonamura. Not only that this 20 years old young and innocent girl of the remote village could gather courage to lodge an FIR on 26/4/08 against the said APP who was supposed to be the savior of the girl but turned culprit by himself. Both the cases are sub-judiced now.

The Government of Tripura removed the accused lawyer from the post of APP.