Dowry cases skyrocketing in Orissa. Several reputed families like Mohanty dragged & cricketer Satpathy arrested !! still men haven't learnt !! ;-( and once again media says young wives are victims !!
Debabrata Mohapatra, TNN | Sep 17, 2013, 04.15 AM IST
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Rising dowry cases cast shadow over nuptial knot
BHUBANESWAR: Marriages are made in heaven. But the fates of many brides seem to be decided by the 'dowry' factor, if the recent finding of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) is any indication.
Dowry, although banned by law but never seriously enforced, is found to be the second major motive behind murders in Odisha in 2012, setting a disturbing trend for the fair sex in society. Statistics have revealed that dowry was allegedly responsible for 28.5 percent of the murders last year, statistics said.
The pernicious tradition of dowry, which is still prevalent in many Indian families, has witnessed an upward trend in the state in the past two years. Going by NCRB statistics, altogether 1,487 dowry torture cases were reported in Odisha last year, as against 1,062 in 2011. Odisha stood second after Andhra Pradesh, which recorded 2,511 dowry torture cases last year.
Several families of repute were dragged to police stations and courts by their daughters-in-law in the past. Former Odisha minister Raghunath Mohanty and his wife were arrested on March 30 this year for allegedly torturing their daughter-in-law. Amid growing public outcry, Mohanty had to step down from the ministry.
Former Ranji cricketer Sanjay Satpathy was arrested in Bhubaneswar on December 12 last year on charges of torturing his wife for dowry. Odia actor Sweta Mishra on July 12 lodged a complaint of dowry torture against her husband at Mahila police station here.
In Odisha, while 465 women were allegedly murdered for dowry in 2011, the number rose to 525 last year, the NCRB report said. Dowry suicides, however, declined to 82 in 2012 from 127 in 2011.
The big question lies as to why the social evil is rearing its head almost every day and whether the police ever thought of strategies to effectively counter the menace. Senior police officers have no answer for the rise in dowry cases, but claimed to have taken measures to sensitize people against dowry.
"We have been spreading awareness through women and child development and voluntary organizations. Victims are being encouraged to lodge complaints, so that it sends a strong message against dowry. We are not showing leniency to the accused in such cases," DGP Prakash Mishra said.
Bhubaneswar witnessed an alarming rise in dowry torture cases in the past two years. From 159 cases in 2011, the figure soared to 288. When asked about the spurt in dowry cases, police said registration of more cases does not mean that brides are unsafe at their in-laws' houses. "Earlier, dowry victims were hesitating to lodge complaints. Now, our focus is on free and fair registration of cases," said a police officer.
Some social activists said the police should not only investigate dowry cases on a priority basis, it should also ensure that dowry law is not misused. "Taking advantage of stringent laws, some women deliberately frame their in-laws and husbands in false cases. Without acting in haste, the police should properly verify the charges," said Nirupama Nanda, a woman activist.
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