Young woman alleges harassment by in-laws; Claims baseless, says father-in-law

PULWAMA — A 19-year-old young woman from south Kashmir’s Pulwama district alleged dowry-related harassment by her husband and in-laws on Wednesday.

The woman Bilkeesa Jan, daughter of Abdul Rashid Namda, from CB Nath village of the district has also accused her father-in-law Ghulam Mohideen Sheeru and brother-in-law of being violent towards her.

According to Bilkeesa, the alleged physical torture by her in-laws started barely six months into her marriage. She got married to a 21-year-old man Jahangeer Ahmad Sheeru in 2020 and they have an 8-month-old daughter.

She alleged that her father-in-law started taunting her over household work and insulted her by saying her parents did not spend anything on her wedding. In 2021, when she was pregnant, she alleges that she was left by her in-laws at her maternal home and none of the costs during and after her pregnancy were borne by her husband or the in-laws.

She said that she also lodged a complaint against her in-laws, but the police also couldn’t come to her rescue.

Meanwhile, when we asked her in-laws about the allegations, her father-in-law said that the family is only worried about the ‘immoral’ behaviour of their daughter-in-law. He also said that the claims of violence and demand for dowry are baseless and a ploy to bring disrepute to the family.

“We want her to stay at home and do household chores as normal women do. Instead, she roams around with boys and stays at her parental home. We don’t have any other issues with her,” Ghulam Mohideen said.