Pilibhit: A case was registered against four members of a family in Pilibhit district for allegedly tricking a 30-year-old woman into consuming abortion pills without her consent, resulting in a miscarriage, police said on Wednesday.
Details of the Incident
According to the FIR lodged at Neuria police station, the complainant, Manju Devi of Bhindara village, married Krishna Kumar, a resident of Uttarakhand's Champawat district, in March 2019. She alleged that soon after the marriage, her husband and in-laws subjected her to physical and mental harassment over demands for a car and Rs 3 lakh in additional dowry.
Manju stated in her complaint that when she was three months pregnant, her husband and his family pressured her to terminate the pregnancy. After she refused, she was allegedly deceived into consuming abortion medication after being told it was medicine to recover from a fever. She claimed that the pills caused severe bleeding, leading to a miscarriage. The incident allegedly occurred around six months ago.
Subsequent Harassment and Police Inaction
Despite the ordeal, Manju said that she continued living with her husband in an effort to save her marriage. However, she alleged that on April 14 this year, her husband and other family members assaulted her, reiterated their dowry demands, and forced her out of the house. She further claimed that no action was taken despite her repeatedly approaching Neuria police station with written complaints.
The case was eventually registered after she met Pilibhit SP Sukirti Madhav, who directed police to act. SHO Digambar Singh said the woman's husband, his parents and younger brother were booked under BNS Sections 85, 89, 115(3) and 352, along with relevant provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.
This incident highlights the ongoing issue of dowry-related harassment and the misuse of medical knowledge to harm women. Authorities have assured a thorough investigation.
