Kolhapur shocker: Two sisters sent back home by in-laws for failing virginity test

Two sisters from the Kanjarbhat community were forced to take a virginity test post-marriage, however, as one of the sisters failed the virginity test, both of them have been sent back home by the in-laws.

Kolhapur (Maharashtra): A shocking incident has taken place wherein two sisters have been sent back home by the in-laws after one of the sisters failed the virginity test. In Kolhapur, two sisters from the Kanjarbhat community were forced to take a virginity test post-marriage.

As one of the siblings failed the virginity test, the in-laws who are residents of Belgaum abandoned the two and sent them to their homes. Moreover, in Kolhapur, a caste panchayat was set up in a temple, within the limits of the Rajarampuri Police Station. A strange verdict was also passed in front of the Sarpanch that the two girls have nothing to do with their in-laws. The incident has led to massive outrage.

Both sisters write to Anti-Superstition Eradication Committee

Meanwhile, both the sisters wrote a letter to the Anti-Superstition Committee saying that they were treated unfairly. According to the letter, on November 27, 2020, the sisters were married to two brothers from a Belgaum based family.

Three days later, both the sisters were subjected to virginity tests. When one of the siblings failed the test, the mother-in-law repeatedly began harassing her, saying that she doesn’t have good manners.

Later, both the girls were sent back home to Kolhapur. On 28th February, a caste panchayat meeting was held and they were abandoned and this has been mentioned in this letter to the Anti-Superstition Eradication Committee.

Meanwhile, in Kolhapur, the two victims along with activists are to lodge a complaint in the case with the Rajarampuri police station.

Geeta Hasurkar, Member of Maharashtra The Anti-Superstition Eradication Committee statement on this incidence

The Anti-Superstition Eradication Committee always gets several types of complaints. On 27th November these two sisters got married. On the third day of marriage, these two sisters were forced to take a virginity test.

After the results came, one of the two sisters failed the test, the Panchayat said. Due to this, the in-laws sent the sisters from Belgaum back to their homes in Kolhapur.

Though, both the sisters and their mother were constantly pleading to the Panchayat saying that these allegations are false. The husband of one of the sisters who is in the Army, threatened the sisters saying that he would kill them if they return back.

"These virginity tests are usually unscientific because it is not necessary for the hymen to get ruptured only through sexual intercourse. A woman might lose her hymen because of rigorous activities like swimming. It would be impossible to prove virginity that way” said Geeta Hasurkar, Member of Maharashtra Blind faith Eradication Committee, adding that times have changed.