MARGAO: Over 24 hours after the death of Vanita Gaonkar, there has been neither any major breakthrough nor any arrests made. But there has been no outrage from civil society that a young woman had to kill herself because her in-laws allegedly demanded money she received from a scheme meant to empower her.
Vanita Gaonkar may surely have been her family’s laadli. But it’s her in-law’s greed for Laxmi (money) (and a lame-duck husband who didn’t protest) that reportedly killed her. But it’s been over 24 hours. Why have arrests not been made when it is a given in such cases, especially when the victim has been married for less than seven years?
The final rites on her mortal remains were performed on Saturday as shocked and grieving family members could not hold back tears. Vanita died after she consumed poison following alleged harassment from her in-laws for the Laadli Laxmi scheme money. The post mortem was held on Saturday.
The case has revealed a new reality of the difference in financial status. Vanita was a woman who was led to kill herself because of Rs 1 lakh while the rich spend ten times as much and more on weddings.
Vanita consumed poison on September 18 and was taken to Hospicio Hospital. From there she was referred to GMC and her dying declaration was recorded by the Mamlatdar.
NGO Savera President Tara Kerkar expressed anguish over the police sitting over the case for so long. “Were the police waiting for Vanita to die and then file a FIR and make arrests?” Kerkar asked. She warned that she will sit on strike at the Police Station if the cops do not move fast in the matter.
Kerkar also said that even after getting proper information from the victim the police had not acted quickly.
Sources said that Vanita’s and her husband Videsh’s families are poor and the marriage was held at a total expense of around Rs 60 to 80,000. Hence the Rs 1 lakh from the Laadli Laxmi scheme was a very big amount for both families.
“We demand ethical handling and counselling of
beneficiaries of the Laadli Laxmi scheme,” Kerkar said. She demanded that the government also calculate and monitor the fallout of the beneficiaries of the scheme.
Vanita, from Malkarne, died on Friday after fighting for her life for 18 days after she consumed pesticide.
The Deputy Collector has recorded Vanita’s father-in-law’s statement on Friday. However, the NGO has demanded that the strictest sections be invoked against the accused and they be immediately arrested.
Kerkar had said that Vanita;s brother had borrowed the money she had received under the scheme to pay back loans he had taken, but the father-in-law had demanded half the amount from the Rs 1 lakh. Huge fights had erupted between the families after Vanita’s brother was willing to give the remaining Rs 20,000.
