Khap scourge spreads to Vizag fishermen

 VISAKHAPATNAM: Khap panchayat scourge seems to have spread its tentacles to the fishing community here. At a time when woman empowerment is the buzzword, a woman belonging to the fishermen community at Bheemili in Visakhapatnam city was ostracised for demanding maintenance from her husband after the latter was granted divorce by the elders of the community.The woman, Karri Venkata Lakshmi, was married to Karri Yellaji, a fisherman of Eguvapeta area of Bheemili seven years back. The couple have two sons and were leading a normal life till a few months back when Yellaji started harassing Lakshmi suspecting her fidelity and approached the elders of his community for divorce. After hearing his plea, the elders sanctioned him divorce without taking the opinion of Lakshmi in April. Distressed, Lakshmi along with her two sons went to stay with her mother G Ammoramma in the same locality. Lakshmi started a small hotel to earn her livelihood. In June, she approached an advocate and lodged a case in the Fourth Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court at Bheemili seeking maintenance from her husband.After receiving a court notice two days back, Yellaji approached the elders of his community who announced that Venkata Lakshmi and her two sons, Naveen and Teja, would be boycotted by all the members of the community as she had gone to court despite their judgment.  They said if anybody buys anything from her hotel or talks to her, he has to pay a fine of `1,000. They also threatened Lakshmi to withdraw the case.Speaking to Express, Ammoramma said she had given `20,000 and 60 gms of gold ornaments to Yellaji at the time of marriage. Seven years after marriage, now he is suspecting her daughter’s fidelity.Lakshmi said she did not have extra-marital relationship with anybody but her husband was suspecting her character. “I cannot lead life with my husband. But I want maintenance money for education and future of my children”, she said.Today Lakshmi lodged a complaint at Bheemili police station seeking protection to run her hotel. The police discussed tWhe matter with the elders of the community and tried to convince them not to resort to boycott. When they did not relent, they police have told them that if they continue to take law into their hands, they will have to take serious action against them.