Sixteen-year-old Sunita Murmu is quite the celeb in her locality
these days. This teenager had the courage to approach the remote
Mohammadbazar police station in Birbhum, one of West Bengal’s most
backward districts, and lodge a complaint against the powerful criminal
elements from within her community. Of course, she did not stop there –
young Sunita also ensured that these men were arrested for sexually
harassing, torturing and ostracising her.
Sunita
is one among the 26 children who has been honoured with the National
Bravery Award for her exemplary act of courage. (Credit: Saadia
Azim\WFS)
There was a time, not so long ago, when Sunita was just another
tribal girl, with little education, living quietly in a male-dominated
society. She had no idea of her rights and spent her days working as a
daily wage labourer to support her parents. And like most girls her age,
she too fell in love. Her life, however, turned into a nightmare the
day her involvement with a non tribal boy from the nearby village was
discovered by the local tribal panchayat in June last year.
The self-proclaimed panchayat met and decided on what they thought
could be the only punishment for her romantic attachment: She was
stripped publicly and made to walk around the village, even while being
jeered at and sexually harassed by random villagers. Those who were
party to this heinous crime even went a step further – they took
photographs and videos of her in that situation, which were later made
into multi-media messages (MMSes) and sent to everyone in the village to
ensure that no other village girl would dare to repeat Sunita’s
‘crime’.
Not one person came forward to help the traumatised young girl while she was being treated in this heinous manner. The authorities at the nearby Mohammadbazaar police station did not bother to come to her rescue. As for her shocked parents, they too could be of little assistance. The incident lasted for about two hours – she was made to walk for around eight kilometres after which she was literally dumped. Plucking up whatever courage she had left, Sunita made her way back home only to be taunted by her neighbours and others. No case was registered against her attackers and no one dared to defy the tribal panchayat’s diktat, even though there is an elected panchayat body in the area.
Since the leaders of the community had been party to the crime, all
evidence was tampered with. For two months Sunita lived in a corner of
her hut, left in isolation and generally neglected. It was during those
dark days that she made up her mind to raise her voice for justice. When
she told her parents that she wanted to see action being taken against
her culprits, they tried hard to dissuade her, even keeping her secluded
and trying to divert her attention to other matters.
Fortunately,
even though her own village is shying away from taking back its
courageous daughter, her story is bringing smiles to the faces of many
girls in the region. Remarks Kuntalshree Bhatacharya, a headmistress of a
local girls’ school, “I keep telling my girls that enduring crime is
equal to being a party to it. Learn from Sunita, who could win accolades
for defying the wrong in the society.”
Meanwhile, the MMSes were still being circulated within the
community. All those close to her family suggested that she forget what
happened and move ahead. Says Sunita, looking back, “I wondered how
people can ever think that I can forget what happened with me. I am
living with that pain which will be there all the time. But I shall now
fight against all crimes against women in the name of old traditional
values.”
When the police came knocking at her door to conduct an inquiry two
months later, she was dissuaded by her family to cooperate with the
investigation. But Sunita decided to go it alone and fight all the way.
She told the police everything that happened and lodged a formal
complaint. But there was no evidence except for the MMSes that were
doing the rounds. No one was ready to testify – some stayed away fearing
the criminals, others because they thought they were standing up for
their traditional tribal values.
But there was no stopping Sunita. Recalls Bidhan Ray, the SDO of
Rampurhat, who followed up and investigated the case, “It was amazing to
see a victim so confident. We thought she may really be in a deep
depression and would not cooperate. Also in such cases the chances of
victims turning hostile are very high. But Sunita could identify the
criminals since they were from her locality and she knew them well. Her
confidence could win everyone’s support.”
Just two days after filing the complaint, the six main accused were
arrested. These culprits, barely out of their teens, had incited the
crowd and later influenced people to keep quiet.
Fearing a backlash from the community, Sunita was sent to a
government welfare home – ‘Pushparag’ in Rampurhat. She continues to be
there, trying to pick up the pieces of her life. She has also now learnt
weaving and embroidery, and the district administration has opened a
savings account for her.
When the district administration decided to propose her name for the
National Bravery awards, it was a proud moment for Sunita. “It is an
unusual case because despite being a victim, Sunita fought for herself.
We decided to propose her name as she has not just taken on criminals
but has also stood up against organised crime, regressive and outdated
values and self-proclaimed, unauthorised panchayat-like bodies,” says
Saumitra Mohan, the district magistrate of Birbhum.
Today Sunita is one among the 26 children who has been honoured by
President Pratibha Patil with the National Bravery Award for her
exemplary act of courage. The award is conferred annually by the Indian
Council of Child Welfare to children for their acts of courage in
everyday life.
“Sunita has been able to take back control of her life. She is a fast
learner and mixes well with other teenagers. Yet she is still living a
life of seclusion and ostracism,” confesses Satyabrata Banerjee, the
superintendent of the ‘Pushparag’ welfare home.
Banerjee bases this observation on the fact that Sunita has not been
able to go back home. Many of her family members still refuse to talk to
her. The culprits are out on bail and the local people say that her
life could be in danger in her Santhal village of Burtola, where most
people are daily wagers or are dependent on government schemes for their
livelihood. However Sunita remains unfazed, “I have not gone back but
it does not mean I have done anything wrong. I want to finish my studies
and fight for the rights of others who have been abandoned like me.”
Fortunately, even though her own village is shying away from taking
back its courageous daughter, her story is bringing smiles to the faces
many girls in the region. Remarks Kuntalshree Bhatacharya, a
headmistress of a local girls’ school, “I keep telling my girls that
enduring crime is equal to being a party to it. Learn from Sunita, who
could win accolades for defying the wrong in the society.” Adds Sunita’s
friend from the village, who is too intimidated to give her name, “We
are proud of her. But what is alarming is that the culprits are roaming
free while the one who fought for what is right is living away from
home.”
But things are slowly changing. Voices are now being raised in her
support. Women organisations are demanding that Sunita be rehabilitated
within the community. Says District Magistrate Saumitra Mohan, “We are
trying our best but for now she has to concentrate on her studies and
better the skills that she is learning at the welfare home. It is a
three-year course and Sunita is enjoying interacting with her new
friends. Meanwhile, her accomplishments are being recognised even within
her community. Our assessment is that her medal, the cash prize and the
national recognition that has come her way, will gradually changed
public opinion in her village.”
Thanks & Regards,
AJIT KUMAR TIWARI
+919007416499
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