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Village court okays woman, stepson live-in
A 22-year-old woman and her stepson, whose live-in relationship was allowed by a Bihar panchayat, have left the village with their two children after her husband threw them out. HT reports.
A 22-year-old woman and her stepson, whose live-in relationship was allowed by a Bihar panchayat, have left the village with their two children after her husband threw them out.
Two weeks ago, Jawahar Paswan, a resident of Bhatauli village in Nawanagar block of Buxar district, approached the sarpanch (village head) and complained his wife Poonam was neglecting him and was in a relationship with Vikash, his son from his first wife.
The 52-year-old daily-wager reportedly told the sarpanch that if Poonam, who he married eight years ago after his first wife died, did not wish to live with him, she should be asked to live with Vikash.
Summoned by the gram kutchery (village court), Poonam not only accepted her relationship with her 23-year-old stepson but also told the council that her two children were fathered by Vikash. She would kill herself if she wasn't allowed to live with him, Poonam said.
"The gram kutchery was left with no alternative but to allow them to live together. Even otherwise, such live-in relationships are allowed in urban areas," sarpanch Malti Singh Yadav said.
Vikash, who works with a private firm in Jamshedpur, was rebuked by his father when he came home and the couple left the village on Sunday.
The panchayat may have allowed the relationship but Vikash can be punished for adultery if his father lodges a police complaint. In the eyes of law, Poonam continues to be Jawahar's wife.
Interestingly, she will go scot-free as law treats a woman in adulterous relationship as a victim and she can't be punished.
(With inputs from HTC, Delhi)
