Reena Ramteke belongs to a remote village of 60 families in the district of Ghariaband in the state of Chhattisgarh in eastern India. The region that she lives in is heavily forested. Basic amenities like water, electricity and roads are lacking or altogether absent. Life is difficult, poverty is rife. The state is hell-bent on exploiting the forests and the…

Reena Ramteke

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COVID-19 has been a very difficult time for everyone globally. However, the effects of the pandemic have been more pronounced on the poor and daily wage labourers. A couple who migrated to Jharkhand in search of better opportunities were subjected to harrasment, torture and were kept confined until help arrived.

The woman who survived the difficult time narrates the incident to Video Volunteers community correspondent Reena Ramteke. She says the contractor and his son used to sexually harrass her when her husband was out working on the brick making factory they were employed in. The pregnant woman was beaten up when she resisted their advances. They were illegaly confined as the contractor feared they would run away taking a deposit sum that had been given to them.

When the couple tried to file an FIR against the culprits, they were turned away indicating jurisdiction restrictions. It was only after Reena intervened and worked with a social activist that the proceedings towards filing a FIR began. According to a Supreme Court ruling, a woman in distress can file an FIR from a place where she has sough shelter.

We will update the story as and when we reach a decisive conclusion in this developing story.