Torture of Women

Torture of Women in the Year of Women’s Empowerment

Newsletter Jan - Apr 2002

Although a number of women over the last several years have been able to achieve a lot in their lives and have also been able to establish an identity and place in society, there is another side of the picture. A horrifying incident in Madhya Pradesh illustrates the hollowness of the Year of Women’s Empowerment.

On the 21st October, 2001, three elderly women -- Tirith Bai (60), Shyam Bai (75) and Bisahin Bai (46) of Lachkera village of district Raipur -- were assaulted physically and sexually and humiliated after being branded as ‘Tonhi’ (in a manner of witch-hunting). These women were forcibly brought to a public place in the village by three ‘Begga’ men and were asked to cure a young man by giving him ‘Bhabhut’. These women pleaded that they were not Tonhi and that they did not know how do to these things. On their refusal, they were inhumanly beaten, spat upon, given electric shocks directlyfrom an electric pole and then stripped of their clothes and jewellery. Bisahin Bai, although she was menstruating at that time, was also undressed. All of them were beaten with sticks and belts and were asked to jump into a fire. When they refused, live embers were thrust into their mouths. Their hair was cut and when they asked for water they were made to drink urine. All this while beatings continued.

After that they were paraded naked in the village and then were taken to the house of Lakshmi, a twenty-year-old woman who was also mentally ill. All the women were locked in her house along with the Begga men, where Lakshmi was also made to take off her clothes which were burnt. Again all four of them were paraded naked in the village temple and intermitently beaten . All this continued for eight hours. It was only after the intervention of a priest that these women were dropped at the society office in a miserable condition. Their family members then got them their clothes and carried them home on their shoulders as they were in no condition to walk.

This dehumanizing incident once again raises the issue as to why only women are proclaimed as ‘Tonhi’ and only men as ‘Begga’ who release women from ‘Tonhi’. And why no action is taken against those involved in this gruesome act when it is done in full public view and when it is illegal to declare any woman as ‘Tonhi’.

Chhatisgarh Mahila Jagriti Sanghthan has taken up the cause of these women and made the following demands:

(i) Bisahin Bai, Shyam Baiand Tirith Bai be given 5acres land each.

(ii) They should be paid a compensation of Rs. 20,000 each as a relief measure.

(iii) All the men of the village should take the responsibility of the incident and render a public apology from these women.

(iv) All the accused be punished.

We, in Saheli are deeply disturbed over the inhuman treatment meted out to Tirith Bai, Shyam Bai and Bihasin Bai in the name of a patriarchal practice of ‘Tonhi’. We strongly condemn it and extend our support to the affected women and Chhatisgarh Mahila Sanghathan in their struggle to get justice.