Panchayat members to be questioned today in Jalandhar

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 19

Members of the Bajuha Kalan village panchayat and family members of a 35-year-old woman who committed suicide on Thursday will appear before the Women’s Commission on Monday.

All members of the panchayat and two members of the victim’s family have been asked to be present at the office of the Punjab State Women’s Commission here on Monday for a hearing into the case. Of the four panchayat members, one member Mohinder Pal had been arrested on Sunday by the Nakodar police, the rest are still absconding.

Members of the Istri Jagriti Manch on Sunday held a meeting in the village and demanded that the commission should also visit the village and question other witnesses.

The victim did household chores to bring up her three children – one son (in Class VII) and two daughters (in Class X and XII). On Thursday, minutes after she posted a video of her crying for justice to her brother, she committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan. A video of her niece crying by her body hanging from a ceiling fan has also gone viral.

Balwinder Ram, brother of the victim and a resident of Nawanshahr, said, “My sister committed suicide as she was beaten up and humiliated by the panchayat two days before June 30. During her quarrel with a neighbour, she was beaten up in public by panchayat members. She had visited the police station to lodge her complaint on June 30, but the complaint was lodged after her death.

Balwinder said on July 13, she met police officials who allegedly tried to get her for a compromise. She left saying she would reply later. On July 16, she sent me audios and video messages declaring she would commit suicide. I tried calling her frantically, but she didn’t pick up the phone. By the time I reached her village, she had committed suicide.”

Vinod Sharma, SHO, Sadar police station, Nakodar, said, “The woman had come to us with her complaint and signed her own statement that she did not want any action at that time. She said, “Halle karwai na karo (Do not take action now).” We have registered a case under Section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the IPC against sarpanch Nachattar Kaur, two members of the panchayat and her neighbour.”

Nakodar DSP Navneet Singh Mahal said, “An investigating officer, along with the arrested panchayat member, will attend the hearing tomorrow. The audio of the panchayat altercation or beating her up had not been mentioned in the application shared with us during the first meeting on July 13 at the Shankar police station. Its mention came up later. Nor did the woman call for an FIR back then. She only said she would reply to us after two days and next we heard about her suicide.”