Court grants divorce after husband’s absence and ongoing abuse
TNR News Network
SHIMLA:
As many couples celebrate Karwa Chauth praying for the longevity of their partners, a woman in Himachal Pradesh’s Rampur ended her eight-year marriage — a stark reminder of how chitta (heroin) continues to test and tear families apart in the hill state.
In a disturbing case that emerged from Nankhari tehsil of Rampur sub-division in Shimla district, a man addicted to chitta not only subjected his wife to years of abuse but also secretly sold off her jewellery to sustain his daily dose. What began as a marriage steeped in traditional Hindu rituals turned into a harrowing journey of domestic violence, betrayal and trauma.
Chitta addiction wrecks eight-year marriage
The couple had been married for eight years. However, soon after the wedding, the husband reportedly became a regular user of chitta, a synthetic form of heroin whose grip has been tightening across Himachal Pradesh. His addiction soon led to behavioural changes, with his wife bearing the brunt of his escalating aggression.
In the initial years, the woman silently endured the physical and emotional abuse, hoping that her husband would mend his ways. But his condition worsened and his desperation for drugs crossed all limits when he allegedly stole her jewellery and sold it to purchase narcotics.
Domestic violence, jewellery theft and divorce
In 2020, the situation took a violent turn when, under the influence of drugs, the husband brutally assaulted his wife and threw her out of the house. According to her statement, he even threatened her with dire consequences if she dared return. The woman then filed a complaint under the Domestic Violence Act, which is still pending in court.
Despite the legal action, the husband showed no signs of remorse or change. Unable to bear the continued harassment, the woman approached the family court in Rampur and filed a petition for divorce.
The court issued a notice to the husband through his father, informing him of the proceedings. However, neither the man nor any representative on his behalf appeared before the court. Given the repeated absence and the unchallenged evidence presented by the woman, the court proceeded ex parte (one-sided) and ruled in favour of the petitioner.
The judgment noted that the husband had not only committed acts of cruelty but had also wilfully abandoned his wife. Based on the evidence and the grounds cited, the court dissolved the marriage with immediate effect.
