Pali (Rajasthan), April 30 (IANS) Depressed over harassment by a local panchayat (council), a 21-year-old woman committed suicide by immolating herself in a Rajasthan village, police said Saturday.
According to a police official, the council members were reportedly harassing Vimla Ghansi after she separated from her husband without seeking prior permission from leaders of her caste.
Ghansi’s burnt body was found in her Sadari village home in Pali district Friday evening. A kerosene can was recovered from the spot, a senior police official told IANS Saturday.
He added that a statement from the family members suggested the woman had set herself ablaze over the harassment by the village panchayat.
The panchayat had slapped a fine of Rs.81,000 on Ghansi’s family members for the divorce, which they could not pay.
‘Her family members said that when Ghansi was returning home from the market Friday afternoon some members of the panchayat intercepted her and abused her. We have registered a case against 10 people on her father Kaluram Ghansi’s complaint,’ said the officer.
The police claimed that the woman had separated from her husband a few months ago and had filed divorce papers in a court.
‘As per the caste system prevalent in the area, the woman had not sought permission for divorce from the panchayat leaders. It angered them and they slapped a fine of Rs.81,000 on her,’ said the officer.
When the family could not arrange the money, the panchayat leaders issued a notice of their excommunication from the caste.
‘Other families from the community were asked not to communicate with Vimla and her family members,’ said the officer.
In July last year, three persons of a family committed suicide in a village over 60 km from Udaipur after a local panchayat ordered their social boycott and imposed a fine of Rs.5,000 on them.
