In-laws give widow a choice: leave or suffer

A 23-year-old widow, Parul Akhter, who lost her husband in last January and was mercilessly assaulted allegedly by in-laws on Wednesday, is still groaning with pain at Sadar Hospital in Thakurgaon.

She is the wife of late Kamrul Hasan of Bhaularhat Podompur village in the district's Sadar upazila.

Talking to this correspondent, the victim claimed that her husband willed four decimals of his lands to her before he died and that she had been living there since then.

After Kamrul's death, other members of his house including his mother Nur Jahan Begum and brothers Rokibul Islam and Jahangir Alam started torturing Parul, asking her to leave the house, alleged the victim, adding, "But I refused to leave the place and stayed there."

As part of their regular torture, Nur Jahan accompanied by her two sons beat her up with sticks on Wednesday, leaving her critically injured, she further alleged.

On information, the victim's father Lutfar Rahman along with other relatives rushed her to the hospital.

Dr Abdul Jabbar, the hospital's medical officer, said Parul received serious injuries in the head and eyes and on different parts.

As Kamrul married Parul in 2002 without consent of his family, they did not accept it and used to torture her every so often, according to Lutfar.

They promised not to torture her in several local arbitrations but did not maintain it, he claimed, alleging, "After Kamrul's death, they intensified their torture to drive Parul and her two kids out of the house and grab the land."

Alleging that the "assaulters" are influential and trying to influence him not to lodge any case, he demanded exemplary punishment for them.

Contacted, Suchorita Dev, general secretary of Bangladesh Mohila Parishad's Thakurgaon chapter, said Parul was beaten inhumanely, demanding punishment for the perpetrators.

She assured the victim's family of extending necessary support to them.

Moshiur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Thakurgaon Sadar police, said police met Parul and asked the family to file a complaint with police.

Jahangir hung up every time The Daily Star tried to contact him over phone, while his brother Rokibul's phone was found switched off.