International Men’s Day: Verdict In 2015 Suicide Case Brings Relief To Men’s Rights Groups
Mumbai: On International Men's Day on November 19, groups fighting for the rights of male victims of domestic violence are celebrating a judgment of the Pune Sessions Court last week that sentenced a woman and her mother for abetting the suicide of the former's husband in 2015.
The court sentenced Shalini Kolhe, 55, and her daughter, Komal Choudhari, 31, to rigorous imprisonment for seven years and a fine of Rs 25,000 for common intent and abetment in the suicide of Deepak Choudhari, Komal's husband. Komal's father, Krishna Kolhe, who was an accused in the case filed at Pimpri police station, was acquitted.
Groups campaigning against the misuse of laws enacted to protect women against domestic violence and dowry-related harassment, said that the judgement is a significant judgement worth a celebration on International Men's Day today. Amit Deshpande, Vaastav Foundation, said, "This is a big victory for the countless innocents and their families who so far had to suffer only because of the gender biased approach of the society and the system."
Deepak, an employee with a major automobile company in Talegaon Dabhade and a resident of Morya Gosavi Society, Keshavnagar, had married Komal, a resident of Nagpur, in 2010. He hanged himself in the bedroom on November 24, 2015, when he was alone in the house. The couple had a daughter who was two years old at the time of the incident. He left a short note, accusing his wife and family of violence. His sister, Rajani Rao, a resident of Nashik, filed a case of abetment of suicide against his wife, Komal, and in-laws Krishna and Shalini Kolhe.
The FIR claimed that Komal quarrelled with Deepak when he was unable to finance her lifestyle, including beauty treatments, eating out, regular shopping for clothes, and holiday trips. Rao said her brother was shamed, beaten up, and denied food if he came home late. Deepak's family tried for a reconciliation but were rebuffed. The court listened to the testimonies of Komal's first husband, who had obtained a divorce after claiming harassment by her. Komal's family claimed that the complaints were filed to encash the insurance and claim property left by Deepak.
Despande said that the case represented innocent men and their families suffering only because of the gender biased criminal system. "After 10 years of court battle, his wife and mother-in-law are convicted of abetting suicide and given 7 years imprisonment," said Deshpande.
Women's rights groups disagreed. Zakia Soman, one of the founding members of Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, said that while she agreed that the Pune incident may well be a case of domestic violence, it is not the norm. "Violence against women is historic and exists in all countries in the world, even in the developed ones. While we must recognise that any kind of violence is wrong, there could be individual cases (of men being victims). When such cases come up, there is a hue and cry in the media," said Soman.
Soman added that less than 5% of dowry harassment cases are reported to the police, even when dowry is the norm in most marriages. "And of the reported cases, less than 10% end in conviction. For every 100 cases of domestic violence against women, there will be less than one directed against men," Soman added.
Unlike International Women's Day on March 8, International Men's Day is not recognised by the United Nations. The day is observed to promote better gender relations and recognises men's roles in families and society.
se awareness about the health and well-being of men and boys. International Men's Day began in 1999 when Dr Jerome Teelucksingh initiated the idea. After remaining.
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