BARNALA, AUGUST 19: A dramatic protest unfolded in Barnala on Wednesday as three women mounted a 60-foot water tank at the District Courts Complex to protest administrative delay in investigating their allegations of marriage fraud and sexual exploitation.
Positioned near the Senior Superintendent of Police office, the demonstrators threatened to jump from the structure if law enforcement failed to act against three men who allegedly exploited them under false promises of marriage. Police and civil administration officials arrived at the spot shortly after the demonstration began to diffuse the situation.
The protesters declared that they turned to extreme measures after police failed to initiate action on complaints submitted nearly a month prior. According to the victims, their shared struggle for accountability led them to meet at administrative offices and plan the joint demonstration.
Outlining the individual allegations, one victim affirmed that her partner reneged on a marriage promise following their engagement and intimacy. Another woman stated that her partner concealed an existing marriage during a year-long relationship, while the third asserted that her partner lived with her for two years before secretly escaping abroad.
Police officials present at the scene stated that the grievances are currently being reviewed by the specialized Women Cell. The administration maintained that necessary legal steps will be executed based on the findings of the ongoing investigation.
