Rajkot woman stages semi-nude protest against dowry demand

Rajkot woman stages semi-nude protest against dowry demand



BARE STATEMENT: 22-year-old, Pooja Chauhan, took to the streets in underwear and protested against police inaction in arresting her husband and in-laws (TOI Photo)
RAJKOT: Conservative Rajkot went into
convulsions on Wednesday when alleged mental and physical abuse by her husband's family drove a 22-year-old woman to strip to her underwear and walk through the city in protest.Pooja Chauhan said she had taken to this unique protest after being constantly harassed for not bringing dowry and bearing a girl-child.
The effect was immediate. The police arrested her husband Pratapsinh Chauhan, parents-in-law and neighbours Veji Bharwad and Vinu Dalit on Wednesday, after she threatened to scale up her protest and march nude to the police commissioner's office if she did not get justice.
"The arrests were made on the basis of Pooja Chauhan's complaint.

Rajkot woman stages semi-nude protest against dowry demandWe are also planning to take action against Pooja for indecent behaviour in a public place. However, we will examine her mental condition before taking any action," said Rajkot police commissioner K Nityanandam.
Residents in the busy thoroughfares of Race Course Road and Yagnik Road were left gaping in shock on Tuesday evening as Pooja walked in her inner-wear, wielding a baseball bat and bangles, headed for the police commissioner's office.She walked for about an hour and went home later as the police commissioner was out of station.
Police sources said Pooja had a love marriage with Pratapsinh, a resident of Gandhigram area, about three years ago, but her in-laws kept harassing her for dowry. The harassment increased when she gave birth to a daughter eight months ago. She finally left home five months ago and has been living on her own with her daughter, Anjali.
Sources said police inaction on her complaints had driven her to stage such a protest. "When her complaint against her in-laws failed to evoke any response, she tried to immolate herself at the office of the police commissioner last Friday but police personnel stopped her," said a source in the commissionerate.

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