MINGORA: A young woman has accused her father-in-law of subjecting her to rape and severe torture since her husband went abroad some eight months ago.

While talking to media persons here on Tuesday, the woman, who lied on a charpoy, said that eight months ago when her husband went to Saudi Arabia, her father-in-law started raping her and when she resisted his moves, he inflicted violence on her.

“When I told my mother-in-law about his sinful act she slapped me and ordered me to keep quiet. My in-laws did not allow me to talk to my husband whenever he would call from abroad,” she said. She said she wanted justice and nothing else.

On the occasion, the victim’s mother said her daughter was married to her paternal cousin, who worked in Saudi Arabia. She said her house and that of her daughter’s were only portioned by a wall in Bara Durushkhela village of Matta.

The woman said her daughter was regularly subjected to domestic violence by her in-laws, particularly father-in-law.

Her relatives say the victim was stabbed several times

According to her, on July 19, she heard the screams of her daughter as she was beaten by her in-laws ruthlessly. "I went to Asharey police station to file a report against them, but the police took Rs2,000 from me to go the house of the accused. But, they only met the accused and went back,” she alleged.

The woman continued: “In the evening, she again heard loud screams of her daughter. When I rushed to her house she was lying critically injured as her father-in-law had stabbed her with a knife several times. She had received deep cuts on her face and neck.”

“Once again I went to the police but the police officials told me that it was my family issue and should be solved by myself,” the victim’s mother explained.

She said the girl was shifted to the tehsil hospital Matta where once again police did not file report, adding the female doctor discharged her on the fourth day of her admission as she mentioned in the medical report that the girl received minor injuries.

“We were not allowed to meet her during her stay in hospital. Ironically, she is still in critical condition but she was discharged and the female doctor said she was alright,” the victim’s uncle, said.

Tabassum Adnan, a women rights activist, who presented the victim to the media, said incidents of violence against women were on increase but the relevant institutions observed deliberate silence. “It has become a routine matter that women are raped, beaten and killed, but neither the police nor other relevant institutions play their role to stop it,” she said. She showed concern over the doctors’ negligence and making a wrong medical report which indicated that the victim girl had minor injuries.

When contacted, Matta police station SHO Anwer Khan, said he had already sent police to bring medical report of the victim girl, on the basis of which, he would take legal action against the culprits. “Once I get the medical report, I will immediately lodge FIR and arrest the accused,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2016