When son-in-law asks for Rs. 500,000 to light funeral pyre

By Ravindra Upreti

Bardibas, July 28 : A senseless event that shames humanity took place in Bardibas. 

Fakira Sah Sonar, who suffered from paralysis for a long time, died at home at the age of 70 on Tuesday, August 9 at 4 pm.  He had no son, only eight daughters from two wives. When he had only five daughters from his first wife Mantodia, he got married to Phulodevi in the hope of a son.  Three daughters were born to the second wife.

The caste group, to whom Sonar belonged to,  began to suggest that the pyre should be lit by men. 

A meeting of the caste group was also held for this. Inderjit Sah Sonar, the caste chief of the Sonar caste in Bardibas, is the son-in-law of the deceased Fakir. He is the husband of the third daughter of Fakir.

Bardibas' bereaved family was further divided after the meeting of the caste group decided that grandson Shambhu (born to the eldest daughter of deceased Fakir’s first wife) would light the pyre and perform the death rituals, but Phulodevi should pay five hundred thousand rupees to Shambhu for lighting the pyre. 

The cremation ceremony could not take place on the first day as the poor woman could not pay the money. 

The body remained in the house that night.

Phulodevi, the second wife of the deceased, cried and said, "From where can I get such money and give it to you?" Even so, she said that she would give as much as two hundred thousand, but he would not agree.

Neighbors of the victim, Phulodevi, who witnessed the incident, were also shocked to see the caste conflict. 

But for this, the son-in-law of the deceased issued an order that five hundred thousand should be given as compensation.

Sita Nepal, a neighbor of the deceased stated, "It seemed that  humanity has died rather than a human being, there were tears in the house of the deceased." You never thought that people could stoop so low for money."

The helpless family of the deceased spent the night crying in front of the dead body. But even the next day, they weren't allowed to cremate if the family didn't pay Rs. 500,000. According to the victim, Phulodevi, after that, her 15-year-old middle daughter Rupa said, "Don't cry, mommy. 

If no one lights the pyre of my father, I will do it myself."

Rupa performed all the sacred activities of her father's death. 

According to Rupa, she remembered that her father had said, "You should perform my cremation." "I am happy to be able to perform the last rites of my father," said Rupa who studies in class 9 of Deurali High School in Bardibas.

But Phulodevi’s suffering did not end there. After the cremation, the step-son-in-law, Inderjit, who is also the head of the caste, again started giving pain by asking for money. 

Phulodevi, the victim, said that he asked for five hundred thousand for death rituals.

According to Superintendent of Police Krishna Prasad Pagani, asking for money from the family of the deceased in any circumstances causing them mental torture is a punishable crime. 

He said that he would take action to bring the incident within legal scope.

Ravi Rawal, DSP of Bardibas area police, said that they would take action after examining the facts of the incident.

Meanwhile, police Sunday inquired Inerjit about the incident by calling him at Bardibas Police Office.

Inderjit appeared in the police office with his supporters.