Engaged At 3 And Pressured To Marry, Woman Consumes Poison Before Cops

Jodhapur: A woman consumed a poisonous substance at a police station in Jodhpur, unable to keep a marriage promise made by her parents when she was three years old, officials said Monday. Divya Choudahry (22) was engaged to one Jeevraj, when she was three years old, they said.

According to Divya’s police complaint, for the last few years Jeevraj’s family had been pressurising Divya to honour the promise her parents had made.

After stalling their wishes for sometime, Divya clearly refused to marry Jeevraj, following which the local panchayat slapped a cash penalty of Rs. 16 lakh on her family. Despite paying the amount to the panchayat, Jeevraj’s family continued to mount pressure on Divya, read the plaint.

She approached the police several times and a complaint was registered against Jeevraj’s family and the panchayat on Thursday, said officials.

Irked by the plaint, the panch made a fresh demand of Rs. 20 lakh. Further, the panchayat demanded a public apology and withdrawal of the complaint so as to avoid social boycott, official sources said.

Before a panchayat meeting on Sunday, Divya reached the police station and consumed a poisonous substance in front of the police officials and her family.

“I was so scared that I stopped going out of my house. My hopes of making a career seemed dashed. I saw no hope after the panchayat interfered and so I consumed poison,” said Divya.

The investigation of the case has been handed over to a DSP rank officer of the SC/ST Cell Narayan Singh, said DCP (East) Aman Deep Singh.

The police complaint has been filed against five persons, which include a sarpanch, and the father of the present Zila Pramukh of Jodhpur, officials said.

The alleged negligence of the police in the matter has been noted, officials said. Meanwhile, the police said after the registration of the FIR, Divya did not turn up for recording her statement.

When contacted, Narayan Singh said he had not received the case file and would be able to comment only after studying it. The concerned SHO and the ACP refused to comment on the issue.

Notwithstanding societal pressures, Divya recently became a certified chartered accountant.