Apr 08, 2012: Uttar Pradesh victim of rape and abuse seeks justice from Goa

TNN | Apr 8, 2012, 02.50AM IST

PANAJI: Raped repeatedly by her father-in-law and abused by her in-laws in Uttar Pradesh, a 32-year-old mother of four, whose father brought her to Goa, is running from pillar to post seeking justice. Despite support from a Goan women's organization, Bailancho Saad, police were tardy in filing an FIR and forwarding it to their counterparts in UP. Bailancho Saad is now planning to approach the national commission for women and also of filing a case with the UP police on their own.

Samina Sheikh (name changed), a native of Gonda district in UP, was long subjected to dowry harassment by her in-laws there. Two years ago, when her husband went to work in Saudi Arabia, her father-in-law started raping her. Her abuse and assault by her in-laws continued. Her father, who works in Goa as a labourer, finally brought her to Goa along with her four children, aged between three to eight years.

So traumatized was Samina by her ordeal, she had to be admitted to the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour, Bambolim, in July 2011. A medico-legal case was also filed at the same time. Only after repeated follow-ups by Bailancho Saad up to the level of the superintendent of police and a fresh complaint, the Mapusa police finally filed an FIR in November 2011. The FIR names her husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law and family members of her husband as subjecting her to dowry harassment, abuse with filthy words and assault with kicks and blows. The FIR also states that her father-in-law "under threat and without her consent, forcibly raped the complainant".

Said Bailancho Saad convenor Sabina Martins, "The Mapusa police assured us of forwarding the FIR to UP but when we followed up on December 13, 2011, nothing had been sent. On March 26, we wrote to the Mapusa police reminding them about it. Now they say that they have sent the entire file to UP and that they have no records with them."

Bailancho Saad were hoping to get a copy of Samina's medical report and other related documents so that they could approach the national commission for women with the case. Bailancho Saad were also hoping to use the above documents to file a case against her father-in-law with the UP police. Martins is saddened by the indifference and the lethargy by the authorities.

Said Martins, "Not everyone comes to a women's organization. If a medico-legal case is filed, it has to be followed-up, not hushed up. We have to put systems in place to give relief to such victims. If the police have sent the FIR to UP, why are the UP police not recording her statement? We will approach the national commission for women and also the UP police by ourselves."

Samina's sordid tale has other sad sub-plots. On December 24, 2011, around 8pm, about eight to ten people barged into Samina's father's room in Bardez, beat up her brother and took her away. Her abductors forced her to write a statement and released her after about three days.

With the help of Bailancho Saad, Samina wrote to the Goa state commission for women. She also filed a domestic violence case with the Bardez BDO. Till now, no relief is in sight.
Link: Uttar Pradesh victim of rape and abuse seeks justice from Goa