Ludhiana: Canada-returned woman ‘abandoned’ after wedding, kin allege inaction

Members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakonda-Burj Gill) accused the Raikot police of delaying action for the past three months. They said repeated visits to the office of the Raikot DSP had failed to yield any result

Alleging inaction in a case involving a woman who returned from Canada to marry a man but was allegedly abandoned nearly a fortnight later, members of a farmers’ union blocked the road outside the office of senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ankur Gupta on Tuesday.

The woman’s family approached farmer union members who staged a protest outside the Ludhiana Rural SSP office. (HT)

Members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakonda-Burj Gill) accused the Raikot police of delaying action for the past three months. They said repeated visits to the office of the Raikot DSP had failed to yield any result.

Addressing the protesters, union leaders alleged that the woman, a resident of Kalsian village in Raikot, was living in Canada when the man in question allegedly threatened to end his life if she did not return to marry him. They further alleged that he threatened to implicate her and her family in false cases if she did not agree.

The woman returned to India and married the man, but according to the union, the marriage lasted only 17 days as her in-laws abandoned her. Union vice-president Rajveer Singh Ghuman said the woman was now in a difficult situation, as her marriage had broken down and she was unable to return to Canada.

He added that the victim’s family approached the Raikot police, seeking action. However, union leaders alleged that instead of acting on their complaint, the police delayed the matter and favoured the man’s family. They said several meetings were held over the past three months, but the family failed to get relief.

After allegedly making repeated rounds of the Raikot DSP’s office, the family approached the farmers’ organisation, which then decided to stage the protest outside the SSP office. The protesters said they would continue their agitation until the woman gets justice.

Meanwhile, Jagraon superintendent of police (headquarters) Swarnjit Singh held a meeting with a delegation of the farmers’ union. Appropriate action will be taken in this case, he said.

Among those present were Harbakshish Singh Chak Bhaika, Darshan Singh Unkare, Manjinder Singh Mankroria, Gurwinder Singh Pabbian, Harjit Singh Janalpura, Jagtar Singh Aitiana, Gagandeep Singh Dhamali, Jagir Singh Lehan, Jagseer Singh, Dalvir Singh, Aminderpreet Singh, Avtar Singh Khalsa, Chamkaur Singh, Gurpreet Singh and Harpreet Singh.