In a shocking case, a man from Nashik has allegedly ended his marriage with his new wife after she failed to pass the virginity test.
Apparently, the village panchayat had given their approval and has allowed him to end the relationship barely 48 hours after he tied the knot with her.
How it happened
According to this report in the Times of India, the man was allegedly offered a white bed sheet by the panchayat to sleep on on his wedding night and later report to it if it had blood stains -- a makeshift and medieval test for determining a woman's virginity.
A day after the wedding on May 22, the caste panchayat - all such bodies are outlawed in the state- allegedly offered the groom a white bedsheet and asked him to return it soon after the marriage had been consummated. After the groom showed the panchayat that there were no blood stains on the bed sheet, the group allowed the groom to terminate the relationship.
Social workers Ranjana Gavande and Krishna Chandgude told TOI that the girl had been preparing for physical tests for recruitment in the police force and was involved in running, long jump, cycling and other exercises.
They said they will file a police complaint if no "amicable solution" is reached after a meeting with the caste leaders on Thursday.
In an age when women are making their mark in all the fields, this news comes as a shocker and throws light on the state of women in the interiors of the country. Such laws or rules are obsolete and shouldn't be followed anywhere and it's unbelievable that village Panchayats are still sticking to their medieval rules.
This report originally appeared in this newspaper.
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