Rajkot, June 17: Nearly 10 days after a centenarian and his 60-member Thummar family staged a dharna to protest against the alleged harassment by their estranged daughter-in-law, the woman’s husband on Tuesday attempted suicide in Rajkot in public demanding action against his wife.
The Thummar family has also given a 24-hour ultimatum demanding action against Rekha, the wife of Shanitlal who attempted suicide on Tuesday.
“If no action is taken by the administration in 24-hours, we all will commit suicide,” said Suresh, Shantilal’s nephew.
While 105-year-old Arjan Thummar has been on strike since June 7, other family members have also joined him outside their residence at Mahudi.
Shantilal was rushed to Rajkot Civil Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, minutes after he drank some poison from a bottle. Shantilal’s action was his response to a question asked by media about his future course of action.
Rekha (28), who married Shantilal in 1996, has filed five police cases under various sections against various family members alleging mental and physical harassment.
These cases have been registered with different police stations including Junagadh, Dhoraji, Jamkandorna, Jetpur and Jamnagar. All these cases have been registered between 1999 and 2004.
Citing these cases, the family alleges they have been harassed by police and lawyers with whom Rekha shares good relation.
On the other hand, Rekha, who has been receiving alimony to the tune of Rs 3,500 per month from Shantilal for five years now, has alleged that all her belongings which were given to her by her parents at the time of marriage are still with her in-laws and she has been fighting to get them back.
Rekha and Shantilal have two children, a son (5) and a daughter (7).
Both the children in the custody of Shantilal. The family lives in a 700-square feet mansion on Mahudi road.
—–Agencies