Author: Press Trust of India
Publication: expressindia.com
Date: May 31, 2005
URL: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=47584
Pravati Manik, 25, is battling for
her life with 40 per cent burns in the surgical ward of the SCB Medical
College Hospital here.
But she is not a victim of dowry
torture as most such cases turn out to be.
A Hindu girl married to a Muslim,
she is paying the price for being "too devout" in her new religion, a group
of Muslims keeping watch outside the ward say.
In her declaration before the police,
Pravati, whose in-laws are from Kaina village in Jajpur district, told
the police that her mother-in-law, husband and his cousin together set
her aflame after pouring kerosene on her clothes on Tuesday last, Jajpur
superintendent of police, Binoytosh Mishra said.
Attracted by her screams, Muslim
neighbours rushed to her rescue and doused the flames. But by then she
had suffered about 40 per cent burns, Mishra said.
She was first shifted to the government
hospital at Jajpur where her statement was recorded. She was then brought
here for better treatment.
Mishra said the incident could have
taken a communal turn but it was averted due to timely intervention of
police.
In fact, a large crowd of armed
people, rushed to Kaina village after hearing of the incident. But they
returned back after being moved by the sight as to how her neighbours took
care of the injured girl with affection.
Pravati's mother-in-law Basi Bibi,
husband Munna Khan and cousin Babbar Khan have been arrested and were in
judicial custody.
Villagers, angered by the incident,
tied the three accused persons to trees and thrashed them before they were
handed over to the police.
A case under Section 307 of IPC
had been registered against the trio.
Fellow villagers claimed that the
incident was a sequel to her mother-in-law "getting jealous" of Pravati's
popularity in the community because of her scrupulous observance of Islamic
culture and traditions after her marriage to a Muslim.
Asghar Ali Khan, a senior citizen
of Kaina village, said that the villagers were raising funds for Pravati's
treatment.
Khan recalled that the girl, belonging
to Darghapatna area of Cuttack city, had married Munna Khan in a family
court against opposition from her family members.
Her family actually had disowned
her but the girl won the hearts of all in the village of her in-laws by
her sober behaviour and her desire to follow the Muslim culture, he said.
"She even said her 'namaz' five
times a day putting many Muslims to shame", another villager said.
But Pravati's popularity was never
digested by her mother-in-law who picked up quarrels with her, neighbours
said.
Munna Khan had shifted to Delhi
where they lived for two years leaving behind their one-year-old daughter
at home. The couple had returned to the village only last month and were
preparing to go back to Delhi with their daughter.
