Women drowns with 4 kids in Udaipur village

‘Was upset after husband took away jewelry’

Udaipur : In yet another heart rendering incident, a mother tied her four children with her saree and jumped into a pond on thursday in a remote tribal settlement in Jhadol block of the district. The matter came to light on Friday evening when the bodies came up on the water surface. Situation remained tensed on Saturday when the woman’s family detered  the authorities to conduct the autopsies and demanded to settle the Mautana claims first. 

The incident was reported in Palwada village under Makdadev gram panchayat of the Jhadol block. The victim Mirki Devi (30) wo Suma Damor had a tiff with her husband when he demanded her ornaments to buy a motorcycle. The woman refused to give them but her husband took away the jewelry. This infuriated the woman who took her kids Bhera (9), Susha (6), Priyanka (4) and one and a half  year old Nanu along to the village pond where she tied the four children with her saree and jumped into the water.

When Suma returned home in the evening, he searched for his family and next morning went to the neighbouring village where his sister lived to enquire about his wife and kids. However, on friday evening, villagers came to know of the incident when the bodies surfaced. Police shifted them to the tehsil mortuary and the women’s family were informed to proceed with the formalities. However, the victim’s family refused to take the bodies for autopsies and demanded Mautana (death compensation) settlement first. 

bodies at the morgue awaiting Mautana settlement

According to sources, on saturday, the morgue was full with 8 bodies that awaited postmortem procedure. Lacking much facilities like freezer and ice and even ample space, preservation proved a major concern. Five of the bodies were of the woman and kids and the remaining three were cases of murder and unnatural deaths. According to sources, cops appear helpless and do not intervene in tribal affairs  where Mautana has emerged as a very strong custom, difficult to be opposed. In many cases, violent clashes have occured when settlements are delayed.