This is a true story of Smrithi (Name changed). Kindly spare some time to read it.

 

Hi Friends,

Smrithi got married to a person who was known to her for about 11 years and dated for 6 years. She gave birth to a son and lost both of her ailing parents within two years of her wedding.

 

On the very second month of her wedding, she underwent a physical trauma, a nasal fracture that needed a surgical repair. Such incidents physical and verbal, both minor and major, led to mental torture and harassment that continued for the rest of the 10 years of her married life. She was also cheated, threatened, and forced to sign a POA and release deed; thereby, relinquished all her rights from her parent’s only property, which they had bought from their hard-earned money, a flat that they were forced to gift to her. The flat currently is in her husband’s name.

 

Then one fine day, after all of her wealth and belongings were extorted, including her only merely 9-year-old son, Smrithi was thrown out of her in-laws' house, into the streets. She was shattered as her husband who meant the world to her abandoned her. She recouped her courage and with the help of her brother, Aunt, and other family members, managed to find a job, and rented a 1 BHK house.

 

This did not put an end to the torture. She was also stopped from meeting and speaking to her even over the phone. Her son who is asthmatic from birth was getting affected mentally as he was unable to see his mother. This aggravated her as a mother, as her son was the only person in the world to her, whom she could rely on to add meaning to her life. Her repeated pleadings and efforts to compromise paid no heed, and she was helpless. Smrithi was left with no option other than to seek legal help. She filed the Dowry harassment case, Domestic Violence case (DVA), the maintenance case in the court. Her only relief was getting her son’s custody.

 

Till date after close to six years of separation, with all cases still pending in the court, with no maintenance for her son who is now in Grade 9, or for herself, she still hopes that things could get back to normal.

 

There are several women out there like Smrithi, with similar stories, still fighting legal battles.

 

The biggest lesson that life taught Smrithi is “Do not trust anyone.”

Life is not a picnic, life is a battle. If you want to survive you need to know God, yourself, and your enemy.

 

Last but not least, they say “Pen is mightier than a sword”; hence, wanted to share this experience.

 

Friends, do pour in your suggestions, opinions, and comments on what is the next step that could be taken by Smrithi.