Dowry items dumped in women cell, awaiting shelter

Ludhiana: Goods and Furniture and goods worth lakhs of rupees that once exchanged hands as dowry between the families of bride and grooms, lie dumped in the premises of women cell thanks to the procedural delays and the indifference of litigants who are awaiting a decision in the divorce cases in city.
A visit to the Women cell revealed that household items including refrigerator, washing machines, air conditioners and furniture and even some four wheelers and two wheelers have been dumped in the premises, with not even a shade to cover them.

“We have already filed a case of divorce and are awaiting the decision for getting a motorcycle and some household items which have been lying here for quite some time. There should be some arrangement to at least ensure that the items are not ruined due to rains or in the Sun and are preserved propertly till a decision is taken,” rued a man requesting anonymity.

A police personnel deployed at the premises said that several requests have been made to provide proper infrastructure and upgrade the building. “We have also heard that the proposal has been cleared but nothing has begun on ground yet,” he said. He pointed out that in several instances the families in dispute have unnecessarily dumped the household items at the premises.

Advocate Kamal Jyoti who has been dealing with such cases maintained that in several cases the bride’s family after filing a divorce plea does not want to take the used items and presses for the new ones during the case. As a result these items remain unused. Some even considered these items as jinxed.

“The procedure is lengthy and cumbersome as several formalities are to be compleed to take the household articles back to their homes, which take a lot of time,” added Advocate Sham Sunder Ahuja. Experts also pointed out that in view of a large pendency of cases it was difficult for courts to dispose off these cases quickly and without giving a proper hearing.