A recent Bombay High Court ruling prompts me to narrate an incident that took place sometime in early 1980s.
Note: The HC has held that in cases of outraging modesty of women, the evidence tendered by the victim should be sufficient to nail the accused and it was not necessary to seek corroboration.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/outraging-modesty-of-women-victims-version-enough-to-nail-accused-says-hc/1128551
The incident relates to a burn victim, a woman in her late 40s who was brought to the hospital by Police with 90% burns and who was screaming out of pain and agony she was going through.
The lone cop was on guard so that nobody approached her - especially, none of her family members, till arrival of Magistrate who'd take down her statement.
Victim's devar (husband's younger brother) and his wife were upset and moving restlessly in utter hopelessness - fearing that the victim might implicate them falsely to settle some old score.
The cop ignored all their pleas to have "one word" with bhaabhii (sister-in-law).
Then they requested me for help and I asked the cop if they could talk to her from the window of the Burn Ward. The cop agreed and said in typical movie style, "Just 2 minutes and no more".
They both pleaded her not to use this incident to settle any score and begged for forgiveness for all their "sins".
The woman first refused not to blame them but later conceded and said, "OK, I'll not blame you on one condition?"
Perplexed, the man asked "What condition?"
"Only if you give me water to drink", she said.
(Note: A burn victim can't be given water.)
The man told her of his inability to comply. That sent woman into a rage and she cursed him and his wife and told him to nail him when the Magistrate arrived.
However, she blamed nobody before the Magistrate and stated that she got burnt accidentally and that she now wants water!
Note: The HC has held that in cases of outraging modesty of women, the evidence tendered by the victim should be sufficient to nail the accused and it was not necessary to seek corroboration.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/outraging-modesty-of-women-victims-version-enough-to-nail-accused-says-hc/1128551
The incident relates to a burn victim, a woman in her late 40s who was brought to the hospital by Police with 90% burns and who was screaming out of pain and agony she was going through.
The lone cop was on guard so that nobody approached her - especially, none of her family members, till arrival of Magistrate who'd take down her statement.
Victim's devar (husband's younger brother) and his wife were upset and moving restlessly in utter hopelessness - fearing that the victim might implicate them falsely to settle some old score.
The cop ignored all their pleas to have "one word" with bhaabhii (sister-in-law).
Then they requested me for help and I asked the cop if they could talk to her from the window of the Burn Ward. The cop agreed and said in typical movie style, "Just 2 minutes and no more".
They both pleaded her not to use this incident to settle any score and begged for forgiveness for all their "sins".
The woman first refused not to blame them but later conceded and said, "OK, I'll not blame you on one condition?"
Perplexed, the man asked "What condition?"
"Only if you give me water to drink", she said.
(Note: A burn victim can't be given water.)
The man told her of his inability to comply. That sent woman into a rage and she cursed him and his wife and told him to nail him when the Magistrate arrived.
However, she blamed nobody before the Magistrate and stated that she got burnt accidentally and that she now wants water!
