Thane: Woman fasts to get police to lodge FIR in Shahapur

Kavita Farde on hunger strike outside Kinhavli police station with family members and friends

A 24-year-old woman from Chervali village is on a hunger strike in front of the police station in Shahapur, protesting against police inaction on her complaints of dowry demands by her fiancé and his parents. Almost 12 hours later, deputy superintendent of police assured her that the FIR would be registered.

Dowry demand

Kavita Farde's would be in-laws allegedly asked for dowry after her engagement, and when her family refused to pay it, they called off the wedding. After Farde completed her MA D.Ed, her family arranged her marriage with Pravin Harad, from Virar, who works in a private firm. Farde said, "We were engaged on March 10. A few days after the engagement, they started ignoring my parents and my calls. Then they demanded dowry. They asked my father to pay them Rs 4 lakh, and gift a bus to their son, so he could start a business. My father said he could not do so. They asked him not to call them again."

Also Read: In-laws forced woman into starvation for dowry, weighed 20 kg at death

'Police refuse to lodge FIR'

Farde's father and uncle still asked to meet them. "But the day they went to talk to them, Harad's house was locked. Later, the Harads phoned my father and said they were calling off the wedding. I decided to file a complaint with the police, but some officers at Kinhavli police station were reluctant to take it," said Farde Fed up of the police's indifference, Farde decided to go on a hunger strike. "After 11 hours, the DySP of Shahpur, Dilip Sawant, gave me a written assurance of action against the police officers who refused to take the FIR. He also assured an FIR would be registered against the Harad family." Kinhavli police registered an FIR in the case on Friday.

Also Read: Woman burnt alive over dowry demand

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