HYDERABAD: Timely help by Revenue Department officials along with police, saved a young woman being forced by her family into to the illegal Jogini system (in which women are dedicated to the Devadasi system), in Bodhan on Friday.
The officials not only saved her from falling prey to the illegal system but also performed her marriage with a youngster. The ceremony was performed in the presence of Bodhan Tahsildar Mohammed Gaffar, during which the victim, Gurram Savitha, hailing from Pegadapally village, married a youngster named M Sailu.
According to Gaffar, the family members of Savitha has been pressurising the victim to become a Jogini for the past couple of weeks. They were all set to complete the process when the news started to spread.Upon learning about this, the Tahsildar swung into action and roped in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), police and a few other NGO organisations and invited Savitha’s family to Bodhan to counsel them.
The officials told them that the Jogini system has been abolished by the government as it forced young women to become sex slaves. They also told the victim's relatives that continuing Jogini system in a civilised society was a crime.
It was after several rounds of counselling that the officials managed to make the victim’s relatives understand that Jogini system was in fact an evil practice. Finally, they agreed to perform her marriage accordingly the officials started searching for grooms and finally found Sailu, hailing from Pentakalan village.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Gaffar said that said that the government would provide all necessary help, including Kalyana Laxmi benefits, to Savitha. Several TRS leaders also attended the marriage ceremony.