Wednesday, 20 February 2019

Condition of a few Survivors of Burn (both acid & Thermal) - in respect of their cases


Cases – Short History – with Legal particulars

1)          Rinki Saha - was married off at the age of 16, when she was a student of class IX. Drinking was one of the vices her husband had. She had to tolerate varied tortures for the demand of dowry by her in-laws. Ultimately she was set ablaze by her husband when her daughter was only a few months old. She was abandoned while she was still in the hospital. Her burns rendered her immobile from neck to arms, requiring a series of operations. As her case went on, the Police declared her husband absconding, and never tried to arrest him. Presently, she works in a beauty-parlour and single handedly bringing up her 12 year old daughter. (Baguihati P.S. FIR Case No129 Date 16.12.’07 U/S 307 / 498a / 406 / 34IPC & also Rajarhat P.S. Case No.60 Dt. 18.02.’06 U/S 498A / 406 IPC; CJM Barasat Case No.168 /2008; 1st. J M, Barasat, Case No. 501/2008).

2)          Moyna Pramanik – (Vil. Jamalpur, PO & PS - Nowda, Dist. - Murshidabad, Pin – 742121). At the age of 16, she was burnt by both acid and fire by her in-laws for demand of dowry in 2001. She was hospitalized; her father settled the case for 50000/- without filing FIR, which is a mandatory.  Anyway, with the money, her father bought her a plot of land, where she stays. Her daughter committed suicide at the age of 15 being tortured by both her maternal uncle and paternal grand-mother. Now her husband is creating problem for that plot of land. Moyna earns 3000/- as a cook in a school. (Dist. Murshidabad, P.S. Nowda, FIR Case No.78/2001Date – 26.8.’01 U/S 498A/326 IPC).

3)          Ripsita De - Ruma Dey's father-in-law threw acid on her while she was resting in her room in May, last year. The Victim died in the hospital after a few days leaving her 11 year old daughter, Ripsita. The Police arrested Ruma’s husband and others, but as the main accused ingested from the same bottle and died too, he was bailed out easily. Ripsita is vulnerable as the chief witness of the torture her mother had to withstand for 14 years of marriage. Presently, she is in safe custody with her maternal grand-mother, Ganga Mallick and is receiving a paltry sum from the State Government monthly. We salute this young girl for her fighting spirit. With so many oddities, she is continuing with her studies. (Dist. Howrah, P.S. Domjur, FIR Case No. 400/17 Date – 16.05.’17, U/S 498 A/ 326/ 326 A/ 307/34 IPC).

4)          Sabita Biswas – was studying MBA in a private institute at Barasat. Sabita lost her father at a young age and her family was not financially sound. She got acquainted with Partha and eventually they got married. Partha’s mother and he himself were after “gaining from the marriage”. After an altercation, he beat her blue and black and then set her ablaze. She got operated this year, and presently working for another NGO, GUP. (Dist. 24 Pgs. (N), P.S. Barasat, FIR Case No. 973 /16 Date – 18.11.’16, U / S

5)          Paromita Bera – hailing from a poor family of Daspur, Paschim Medinipur, got more than 82% in her Higher secondary examinations in 2016. She was excited to study in a college and went to sleep happily. Just then, at the dead of a night, acid was thrown on her. Her brother and mother also suffered burn at the same incident. She was so demoralized, she wanted to finish herself. Later she got her confidence back and has finished her Graduation with major in Sociology. Presently she is preparing for Competitive Examinations. (Dist. Paschim Medinipur, P.S. Daspur FIR Case No.124 / 15 Date – 30.05.’15 U/S 418 / 326 A/ 307 IPC).       

6)          Rupali Parui – an uneducated, poor village lady of Dhantolla, Nadia, of late thirties sells flower-garlands. She has a full-fledged family with a husband, a married daughter and a son. But she gets proposals from her neighbor. She vehemently denies that. For her business she has to get up very early to gather flowers. One day, at 4.30 AM, her burning sensation made her realize, something liquid is being thrown on her back. Just as she turned, the neighbor, accompanied by his son, threw the rest liquid, Acid on her face, and front portion of her body. Today her eyes have gone, and her skin condition on most of her upper body does not let het rest. Since the accused are more socially strong, they are trying their best to prove themselves innocent. But she is bravely fighting back through the court procedures. (Dist. Nadia, Dhantala P.S. FIR Case No. 141/16 date. 20.05.’16 TPC U/S 326A & 120B IPC).

7)          Sutopa Das – a sprightly young girl from a lower-income group from Daspur of Paschim Medinipur got admitted in a college in Purba Medinipur. Asit Bangal and his friend Sauradeep Mondol are two village boys working as gold-smith in Puna, sent her messages that they love her. Sutopa did not respond to their calls. Sauradeep continued his advances, and threatened to do her ‘harm’. In 2016, she was appearing at her 2nd Year final Examinations. It was quite a distance she had to travel to reach her home. Her uncle was accompanying her from the Examination Hall. The boy was found to be following her in his motorbike just as many other days. But that day he had a mug in his hand, and his face was covered by a handkerchief, so as her head with a helmet. Suddenly he came in front of her, and threw Acid. In the first attempt, left side of her neck, and part of back were burnt. In his second attempt, a few seconds after, more parts of the front side were affected. As usual she had to discontinue her studies due to long medico-surgical intervention. Like many other cases, she too had to run from pillars to posts to get her compensation. And she does not know how far she will have to go to get her legal rights established. But hats off to her mental strength, she had taken admission for completing her Graduation this year with Bengali Major at Netaji Subhas Open University.(Dist. Paschim Medinipur, P.S. Daspur FIR Case No.155 / 16 Date – 14.6.’16 U/S 341 / 326 A/ 307 IPC).



Friday, 21 August 2015

Pathshala Event organised by South Kolkata Sannidhya

To involve local people into any social awareness program; there needs to be a factor of common interest. ‪#‎SouthKolkataSannidhya‬ organized the Event ‪#‎Pathshala‬ on the 11th of July, 2015 with this key objective in mind.
This event included an Open Essay Competition for children, as well as adults to participate in. This created the factor of common interest that brought publicity to the subject of the Main Event - "A Legal Awareness Camp on Protection of Women under Domestic Violence Act, ’05 (‪#‎PWDVA‬,’05) for Community Development in Collaboration with ‪#‎WestBengalCommissionforWomen








Saturday, 25 April 2015

 

Few glimpses on A half day dialogue on Maromi (One Stop Crisis Center)at Abanindra Sabhagriha


Wednesday, 25 March 2015

OSCC - One Stop Crisis Center

Be it putting a woman a fire or Acid-attack, it is a worst form of violence. It brings deformity killing ones identity. There are also other numerous ways of torturing women like sexual assault, domestic violence, trafficking and so on.
In order to deal with the situation of violence, women require support at various levels that address their multiple needs. Recognizing this, we would like to introduce the concept of One Stop Crisis Center (OSCC) s. This would serve as an integrated facility where the various needs of victims of violence, such as medical aid, legal assistance, assistance in filing a police case, counseling and emotional support, temporary shelter for herself and her children and basic necessities for the period of stay can be met, at a single place. Since in this part of India, Public Health System (where a victim has to visit for her immediate needs) is too overburdened, and mostly police and other stake holders are not enough sensitized, there is need of this type of One Stop Crisis Center for women who have faced any help to tackle the violence they faced. Under Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA),’05, Public Sector Hospitals are Service Providers (SP). But in reality, the hospital authorities do not feel the need of understanding the medico-legal necessities. In One Stop Crisis Center, she will find all the help in violence free, empathetic and friendly environment. Society lacks awareness. Doctors treat patients, but do not take enough care to deal with the evidence part of the ‘cases’. Lawyers do not find merit in such cases without ‘evidences’. Women in distress have to run from pillars to posts often without positive results. This center can be one of its kinds, as this will truly create a violence free world for women. WHO has already declared Sexual Assault as a Public Health Issue. 
Both the Ministry of Women & Child Development (MoWCD) and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) have brought some plans / strategies / protocols / guidelines along with WHO, to deal with cases of Gender Violence / Violence Against Women (VAW)/ Sexual Assault /Intimate Partner Violence (IPV).  CEDAW alternate Report, July, 2014 also states the importance of OSCCs.

To bring relief to pain medico-legally, there has to be at least one OSCC in Kolkata. A very famous Bengali newspaper, Ananda Bazar Patrika, has already published news regarding this way back in 2013. We also have plan to introduce training and campaigning for combining health and legal matters together in respect of violence and women.

Friday, 25 May 2012

Mobilizing ourselves

As of June 2012, our Activities can be grouped to :
  1. Participation
  2. Dissemination
  3. Consultation


Thursday, 24 May 2012

1. Participation

To better network with like minded platforms and to ensure capacity building, the members of the South Kolkata Sannidhya have been consistent  participants in workshops and programs conducted at national and international levels. The interactive sessions and discussions in-person enable us to help others better. 

Till date, we`ve participated in the international Gender Training at Hope Training Center, Baroipara, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. This ‘Two Country Gender Training’ was organized by SANGAT with the help of SWAYAM (India), Oxfam (Bangladesh) and other organizations of both the countries. There were 15 participants (all women) in total. Faculties were from both the countries and from different fields.  This interactive 12 days training was very enriching. Furthermore, because of its residential nature all the participants shared a very warm relationship. We were taught differences between sex and gender from sociological, psychological, physiological and philosophical angles. Many misunderstandings and misconceptions were cleared. 

Other participation included:-
  • Rehabilitative support given to burn victims.
  • Worked on a project of Inner Wheel Club, Kolkata, Lansdown.
  • Participated in Aman and Maitree programs. MaĆ®tree secretariat was with us for four months. (May to August 2011). 
  • Attended a workshop organized by NICE foundation.
  • Participated in a Fair organized by Federation of small scale industries at Rajpur.
  • Donated clothes to through Suchetana (Organization OF Dakkhin Barasat)

Participated in Violence Fortnight (25 Nov to 10 Dec'11) through other organization such as:
  • AMAN National meeting in Pune (April 21st-23rd'12) and highlighted the plights of victims suffering from burn related deformity (also as a result of domestic violence) in West Bengal
  • ANTI DOWRY DAY (26th Nov) through Sutanututi Sakhya at Rajpur Gopalpur Municipality.
  • An initiative to draft mental health guidelines for organizations working with woman and girl child at BITM organized by SWYAM (29th Nov).
  • SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN’S DAY celebrated by SWYAM at Maxmullar Bhawan (30th Nov) the speakers were Kamala Vasin, Kavita Srivasstava , Khushi Kabir and moderator was Sumita Sen.
  •  INTERNATIONAL DISABLITY DAY (3rd Dec) Participated in a rally.
  • Participated in a Fair organized by SANCHAR at Diamond Park, Joka (3rd to 5th Dec).
  • Attended a program on Domestic violence organized by SWYAM at BITM (5th Dec).
  • Participated in a program organized by AWWD on Human Rights at Rotary Sadan (7th Dec).
  • Condolence gathering at Hazra More was organized on the devastating fire at AMRI hospital (10th Dec).
  • Meeting organized by South Kolkata Sannidhya for the purpose Safety comes first than Security many other organizations also attended it.

2. Dissemination

We prepare demonstration material to reach out to the people. Some of our materials are as follows: