Indian woman forced to grip hot iron rods to prove loyalty, echoing ancient practice in patriarchal sub-continent
NEW DELHI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A central India court has ordered the prosecution of four people, including a woman's husband and mother-in-law, for allegedly forcing her to hold red-hot iron rods to prove she was faithful, the New Delhi Television Station (NDTV) reported on Thursday.
NDTV said that some time after their marriage in 2007, her husband and in-laws demanded a dowry from the woman and started abusing her physically and mentally.
More recently, they suspected her of being unfaithful and demanded that she prove she was not by holding red-hot iron rods in her hands in front of the village council.
The court in the Indian city of Indore ordered a case to be filed against the woman's husband, mother-in-law and two of their close relatives for cruelty, the woman's lawyer said.
Community members have denied the village council was involved.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the number of cases of torture and cruelty inflicted on women by their husbands and husbands’ relatives increased by 11.6 percent in 2013 to 118,866 - more than a third of all crimes against women.
(Editing by Tim Pearce; timothy.pearce@thomsonreuters.com)
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