Widow declared kari by son goes missing for 2 days

Elderly widow accused of having illicit relations with man.

SUKKUR: An elderly widow, who was handed over to her mother after her son branded her kari, has been missing for the last two days.

Marium Gabole, wife of Ghulam Mohammad Gabole, told journalists in Mirpur Mathelo that her elder sister, Lal Khatoon, was accused of having illicit relations with a man, Manzoor, by her son, Shah Muhammad. Shah threatened to kill his mother, which led Lal to seek help from the Mirpur Mathelo police.

Marium claimed that instead of seeking protection from the court for Lal, the police handed her over to Shah two days ago. “I’m afraid she might have been killed,” she said.

She demanded high-level police officials recover her sister and take action against the Mirpur Mathelo police.

SHO Mirpur Mathelo Amanullah Channa brushed aside the allegations. According to him, two days ago Lal Khatoon had come to the police station and demanded protection against her son. After this, the police had produced her before the district and sessions judge, Ghotki Khadim Hussain Tunio. In her statement before the judge, she had opted to go live with her mother, Ghulam Fatima, who resides in Pir Bux Gabole village near Mirpur Mathelo. The judge, after taking a necessary surety from her mother, allowed Lal to go as she pleased. He also ordered the police to escort her to her mother’s house. Channa said the police had acted on the court orders.

According to residents of Ghotki, there have been at least 14 kidnappings in the past two months. Officials, however, said only five people have been kidnapped.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th, 2010.