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Shanthi
- a victim of dowry devil!!!
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here if you would like to Contribute or send a feedback.
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read about general issues in Karnataka.
Note: One of the photos is REALLY GRAPHIC and is not for the faint hearted
ones.
The dowry harassment still haunts a lot of innocent Indian
girls even in the 21st century, . Though there are many laws to prevent this and bring
the culprit to justice, it goes on unabated.
Here is the story of Shanthi
from Mysore. She has two lovely kids, and she is the recent victim in Mysore.
When we visited her, and spoke to her.. she sobbed
throughout and had difficulty telling us anything at all.
Her only hope in life is to get help from the community
to heal her wounds and for the education of her
children.
Shanthi got married
in 1987 to Raghu with all the dreams about the future, and all were soon shattered. Rs. 20,000/- was
given to her husband during her marriage as Dowry. Apparently,
this
amount did not satisfy him or his family. He started to torture her physically
and mentally. He was a chronic alcoholic and her old
parents were not wealthy enough to pay him anymore. Fearing
that the society would outcast their daughter, Shanthi's parents
paid him by taking loan from neighbors. Even that did not
satisfy him and he continued to demand more money. her
parents tried to explain him and put some sense into Raghu
and that failed. He was simply not interested and wanted
more money or else he would send his wife back.
Finally, Shanthi returned to her parent's home.
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Before the attack by
her husband
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After the acid attack
by her husband
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She started working in an
institution as a tailoring teacher in Panchavalli earning
daily wages. Her only intention was to give her
children (Rathan and Varshini) some kind of education.
About 18 months later, her husband
suddenly appear3ed and requested her parents to send her
back to Mysore. He promised that thereafter he would take
good care of her and the children. Her parents accepted his seemingly
sincere promises and happily sent her back with her husband.
Well.. the man had never really changed and continued
torturing her and pestering her for more money.
This culminated in a barbaric
attack on her face with acid on October 10, 2001 at 5 AM
early morning by her own husband. She survived after being
treated at Mysore Hospital. Since her parents are not
wealthy enough, they suffered a lot to keep her alive. A
piece of land was sold to pay the medical bills. The cost for
mere survival
was Rs. 1,50,000/- but she did not get her face back. The
entire face was burnt and he own children do not want to look at her face.
They are scared of looking at her and this has been
killing her slowly ever since.
She cannot see, as her eyelids
can't be closed. She cannot hear as ears are also affected
by the burn. She cannot open her mouth properly, she cannot
even eat properly. It is very difficult to chew food. She
has become totally handicapped. Plastic surgery can restore
her to normalcy. The cost for surgery and medicine is as
stated by the doctor is around Rs. 1,00, 000/- (Rs.
Hundred thousand).
At present her husband is
in Jail and is getting two meals a day at
tax-payer's expense.
But the poor Shanthi is suffering alone without any help.
It is difficult for her to arrange for a single meal in
this condition. It is impossible for her to adjust money
for surgery. She has no way to survive. In this society if she want
to survive, that too being a mother of two children, she
need your help. She wants to be able to educate her children
and start being self-reliant after surgery.
Her
address:
Shanthi M.G.,
#1126, 9th Main Road,
Gokulam,
Mysore - 570002
Karnataka
You can also send a check
or DD in favor of OurKarnataka.Com and we will deliver the
money to her.
Sandeep Shenoy
OurKarnataka.Com (For Shanthi)
#34 Raghavendra Nilaya
18th Main, K.H Road
Saraswathipuram, Mysore 570009
Ph: 0821-340458
Click
here if you would like to Contribute or send a feedback.
Click
here to read about general issues in Karnataka.
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