Trouble shooters

ETAH is Uttar Pradesh8217;s dowry district. With dowry deaths and harrassment cases going up each year, the police gradually realised that ...

ETAH is Uttar Pradesh8217;s dowry district. With dowry deaths and harrassment cases going up each year, the police gradually realised that a patient hearing could work better than the rod. So, the tough-talking men in khaki turned counsellers, bringing together warring couples and families, settling their marital disputes and sending them back home with garlands. The last three months have shown what an innovative plan can do. It8217;s called Operation Didi. And it8217;s working.

But first some disturbing figures. There were 98 cases of dowry harrassment and 46 deaths, in Etah till October this year. The problem was even more acute in 2002 when 78 deaths were recorded. Many women were burnt to death, some strangled after being physically abused. The ones who survived killed themselves. Social prejudices only worsened with time, lack of development and poverty in Etah, a district which lies just 200 km away from Delhi.

8216;8216;We started Operation Didi this October 12 with sessions each Sunday. There has not been a single dowry death since8230;and our Sundays till June next year are booked with 560 matters listed for hearing,8217;8217; says SSP Etah, Anand Swaroop, who is also chairman of Operation Didi. The programme has united 107 families in the three months of its inception.

THE police are not alone in their endeavour. About 30 people, including 14 women, have been designated 8216;special police officers8217; for the job as well. These 30 are picked from prominent social workers, doctors, principals of reputed schools and lecturers of the lone degree college in the city.

Among the many success stories is one of Sachin Dubey and Rakhi Bhardwaj. Swords drawn for almost three years now, Rakhi had lodged a case of dowry harrassment against Sachin8217;s family8212;his parents were put behind bars. 8216;8216;We called both of them who had, in fact, not spoken to each other for all these three years. It turned out that the problem was more between the families who had huge egos than between them. After counselling over two sessions, they got back together,8217;8217; says Ashfaq Ahmed, additional SP and also vice-chairman of Operation Didi.

But not all cases that are coming up before the counsellors are dowry related. In fact, a study showed that in about 40 per cent of these cases, lack of trust was responsible for souring of relations. 8216;8216;What they required was concerted counselling than anything else to get them together in an emotional reunion again,8217;8217; says Ahmed.

The delayed development in the area, however, remains a worrying factor for the police. Says Swaroop: 8216;8216;Etah is still there where it was four years back in terms of development. In fact, it has deteriorated.8217;8217; And that he fears, could make their fight against social ills like dowry, difficult.