BARNALA, AUGUST 19: Three women scaled a 60-foot water tank at the District Courts Complex in Barnala on Wednesday, threatening to jump unless authorities initiate immediate criminal proceedings against three men accused of sexual exploitation under the pretext of marriage.
The high-voltage protest unfolded adjacent to the District Administrative Complex, which houses the Senior Superintendent of Police office. Emergency teams from the civil administration and local police rushed to the scene to negotiate with the women, who formed an alliance while making repeated, unsuccessful visits to administrative offices in pursuit of justice.
The women asserted that inaction by law enforcement forced them to take the drastic step, pointing out that official complaints filed nearly a month ago yielded no concrete results. They demanded the immediate registration of formal First Information Reports against the three accused individuals.
Detailing their grievances, one victim stated that her partner severed their engagement and broke his commitment to marry after establishing physical relations. A second woman declared that she discovered her partner of over a year was secretly married, while the third alleged that her partner cohabited with her for two years before fleeing the country without notice.
A police officer confirmed that civil and police administration officials visited the site to manage the situation. The officer maintained that official action will follow based on the merit of the complaints, adding that the matter has been referred to the Women Cell for a detailed inquiry.
