my uttarakhand news Bureau
Dehradun, 20 Jan: A widowed mother who lived under constant fear after being assaulted and threatened by her own sons received a major relief after the district administration intervened in the matter decisively and forced the errant sons to seek forgiveness in court and pledge reform.
It may be recalled that Vijay Lakshmi Panwar, a widow from the Banjarawala, had approached District Magistrate Savin Bansal after enduring repeated harassment, physical assault and death threats from the very sons she had given birth to. According to her complaint, the sons frequently assaulted her under the influence of intoxicants, demanded money and terrorised her to the extent that she spent nights fearing for her life.
Taking the complaint seriously, the district administration ordered a discreet inquiry, during which the statements of the neighbours and the local public representatives corroborated the widow’s allegations and confirmed the extent of her suffering. Acting on the findings, the administration initiated proceedings under the Goonda Control Act, a move that proved to be a turning point in the matter as the fear of legal consequences compelled the wayward sons to confront their responsibilities towards their mother. Faced with the prospect of externment from the district, the sons appeared before the court where they tendered an unconditional apology to their mother, fell at her feet and submitted sworn affidavits promising to give up intoxication and refrain from any form of violence or misconduct.
The combined impact of the law’s severity and the silent endurance of their mother appears to have shaken the sons, leading to a visible change in their conduct. In the case relating to assault and threats to the widowed mother, the firm stance adopted by the district administration resulted in the sons realising their moral and legal duties. After the case was registered under the Goonda Control Act, both the sons formally assured the court through affidavits that they would abandon substance abuse and would not subject their mother to any further ill-treatment. Taking note of the improvement in their behaviour following the administration’s strict warning and legal action, the court subsequently closed further proceedings while making it clear that any relapse would invite immediate and serious consequences.
Commenting on this, District Magistrate Savin Bansal stated that the administration follows a policy of zero tolerance towards the harassment of women, widows and vulnerable sections of society and warned that any recurrence of such behaviour would invite stringent action in the future.
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