The latest in the shameful event that unfolded in Bareilly, that was reported by Opindia on the 9th of July, the man who forced his daughter-in-law to undergo ‘nikah halala’ with him so that she could remarry his son, was booked on rape charges.

The police lodged the FIR at Kila police station after the 28-year-old victim met SSP Muniraj G along with Aala Hazrat Helping Society head Nida Khan, herself a victim of triple talaq, and lodged her complaint.

The victim told the SSP that after divorcing her the first time, as per the provisions of ‘talaq-e-biddat’ or ‘instant triple talaq’, her husband and other members of her in-laws’ family forced her to marry her father-in-law under ‘nikah halala’ and consummate her marriage with him. This was to allow her to remarry her divorced husband. But even after remarrying her husband the father-in-law continued to rape her. On revolting against it, her husband divorced her again, this time forcing her to undergo ‘Nikah Halala’ with her brother-in-law.

Subjected to these atrocities Sabina, the victim fled from her marital home and decided to take a stand against the humiliation. Sabina determined to fight for justice seek the help of the police, who registered an FIR on rape charges against the father-in-law and also lodged a separate FIR against the victim’s husband, brother-in-law and mother-in-law on charges of demanding dowry and subjecting her to various cruelties.

Aala Hazrat Helping Society head Nida, along with three dozen other Muslim women, had held a press conference where they talked about the ordeals and atrocities carried out by their husbands under the guise of triple talaq. The women have also demanded a female Kaazi (a judge or magistrate of a Sharia court).

According to Nida, Muslim women could get justice only with strict laws. She raised questions against the fatwas issued by maulvis and said how they are usually misogynist and anti-women. Only with a stricter implementation of laws can the atrocities against women under the guise of shariat could stop, said Nida.

Meanwhile, a local Muslim cleric issued a ‘fatwa’ (diktat) against social activist Nida Khan for “speaking against” Islam and its practices.