Women's court gets off ground in Bengal district

For the first time in the country, a court having woman judges and staff to deal exclusively with atrocities against women was inaugurated today at Malda town in West Bengal.

The court would hear all cases of atrocities against women for delivering speedy justice, officials said.

Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Justice Arun Mishra inaugurated the court on the birthday anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose whose Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) had many women who fought along side men against the British.

The setting up of the court in Malda is significant as the district tops the list of women trafficking cases and atrocities against the fairer sex in the state.

According to the records, 28 per cent of all cases lodged with the police in Malda district were crimes against women, sources said.

The court, which will start functioning from tomorrow, will have two court rooms headed by an additional district judge and another magistrate.

However, the lawyers pleading for the cases could be men also, the officials said.

Later while taking part in a seminar on "Gender Justice and Atrocities against Women", Justice Joymalya Bagchi of the Calcutta High Court said female foeticide was one of the reasons behind burgeoning attacks on women in the country.

"The female sex ratio as compared to male is going down due to female foeticide. Unfortunately, most of those who indulge in female foeticide are educated and wealthy people," he pointed out.

"Just enacting new laws won't cure the problem. We have to make people aware that atrocity on women would increase with the decrease in the number of women in society," he cautioned.