Author: Nirmala Carvalho
Publication: Asia News
Date: October 13, 2004
URL: http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=1675
Women in Kharbi village, in Nagpur
(western Maharashtra), lynched Fahim Pathaan (26) and his younger brother
Naem (22). The two had been terrorising the villagers for nearly 4 years.
The two extorted money from local residents and small businessmen. They
were also were into kidnappings and sexual abuse, especially of young women
and girls.
On October 6th, the women of the
village summed up their courage and lodged a complaint with the Police.
The men reacted angrily and tried to teach the women a lesson but this
time they paid for their arrogance with their lives.
The two arrived in the village demanding
that the complaint be withdrawn then allegedly began harassing a 28-year-old
widow, Lashmibai Taram, who lives with her three children and one brother.
She said that after asking her for money the two men tore off her blouse
and tried to remove her saree, this in sight of the neighbours.
Armed with sticks and stones, the
other women of the village attacked the would-be rapists. Fahim died on
the spot whilst Naem died later of his injuries. The president of a local
women's organisation said that several women tried talking to the men to
no avail. "Their arrogance was such that they felt above the law," she
said.
Two months ago, a group of women
stoned to death another rapist in the same district of Nagpur. Women's
organisations defended the women's action arguing that delays and legal
loopholes are allowing many human rights violators to get away scot-free.
