Violence against women on rise in Banke

Pujadevi Nau of Indrapur-9 in Banke and Hem Kumari Dhobi of Khaskarkandi-2 who were burnt last week, are among seven women reportedly burnt in Banke in the past seven months, police said Dhobi and Nau  are sait to have sustained burn injuries all over their bodies and are receiving treatement in the Capital. 

Both cases of Nau and Dhobi amplifies the incidents of violence against women gone unchecked in Banke in recent months, right activists said. 

As per The District Women and Children office (DWCO), three incidents of domestic violence against women are registered at the office everyday. 

The DWCO said that 102 incidents of domestic violence against women were registered last year. The figure has stood at 42 in the past three months alone this fiscal year.

"Incidents of violence against women are increasing as compared to last year. It is a shame for such incidents to take place rampantly in the home district of Prime Minister Sushil Koirala" said Bindu Kunwar, an official or the DWCO. 

She stressed on the need for the government to launch a campaign creating awareness on violence against women and gender discrimination in Banke. Kunwar blames a lack of effective police investigation as the reason for the victims not getting justice. Police claimed that they have taken incidents of violence against women very seriously adding that they have arrested perpetrators involved in many such crimes. Superintendent of Police Shekhar Koirala said that incidents of violence against women are nonetheless, a matter of concern. Koirala said that police received around 300 cases of violence against women last year and most of them, he said were settled at the local level of they were of minor nature.

The District Court has received 17 incidents of violence against women in the past three months this fiscal year Many cases of vilence against women have been filed in the court here as compared in other districts. Fifty seven incidents of violence against women are sub-judice in court said Atmaram Joshi, an official of the court. 

Right activists have demanded a special programme to be launched in the district to end violence against women Murari Kharel, regional director of the National Human Rights Commission, said growing incidents of Madhesis and Muslims being burnt need to stopped.

Whether incidents of violence against women are related to dowry system or only gender discrimination should be studied. Apart from providing justice to victims and taking action against the guilty, the government should launch a special campaign to curb such cases he said.