Muslim woman stabbed to death by husband in Bihar’s Purnia for not leaving teaching job

A Muslim woman teacher had to pay with her life for disobeying her husband’s diktat to leave her job in northeast Bihar’s Purnia district.

Tabassum Ara, 26, a teacher at government-run Talimi Markaz school at Janta village in Baisi police station area of Purnia, 370 km northeast of state capital Patna, was stabbed to death allegedly by her husband on Tuesday.

The incident took place when Ara, returning home Purnia on a motorcycle with her brother after taking her BA part-2 examination at Katihar, 28 km south of Purnia.

Raza told the police that Ara was married to Mohammad Aslam of Panisadra village in 2010 but she was treated well by her husband. “On Tuesday, Aslam forced me to stop my motorcycle at Baisi Circle and attacked us repeatedly with a knife. We were taken to Purnia district hospital, where Ara died during treatment,” added Raza, whose condition was said to be stable.

The victim’s father, Tanzeem Alam of Asja Mabaiya village in the district, said Aslam used to beat Ara and threaten her with dire consequences if she did not leave her teaching job.

He said: “My daughter wanted to teach uneducated Muslim girls. Despite working at Talimi Markaz, she did not discontinue her studies.”

He also alleged that Aslam and his family used to torture her for dowry and pass indecent comments whenever she prepared to leave for the school.

Meanwhile, Baisi police SHO TP Singh said Aslam had been sent to jail and investigation in the case was underway.