She had not slept well and the traces of sleep were obvious in her dreamy eyes, however, she began to read the newspaper. The news item on the front page shocked her. She read the news hurriedly and ran towards the room of her father.

He was waiting for his morning tea in his bed. He got up and looked at Komila who had entered the room without even knocking at the door. Controlling her breath, she said, “Papa, look at this news!”

He was more interested in Komila’s face than the news. Komila looked very happy and he knew that that kind of expression could only have appeared on her face through something very important. She had always been a gloomy child and smiles were rare on her face.

Before he could adjust his reading glasses on his eyes, she began to read, “Two young men from the district, with the help of their friends, had kidnapped a village girl who was on her way to see the tournament in her school. She was with her classmate, a girl. She was carried to a cave. Except for one young man, who wanted to marry the girl, rest of the men left the place where the young man raped that village girl…”

Komila paused for a while. Her father did not respond. The sunrays had begun to enter the room through the window and there was newness in the ambiance. Komila began to feel fresh. Her father and mother were silent. Komila could read fear in their eyes. The very fear had been prevalent in the house for many years. This news had further added to the strength of the fear. The mother was standing near the bed, holding the tray with tea.

Komila took the tray from her hands and made her sit on the bed and continued, “The girl’s parents filed a case in the court. This was really big news because no one had ever challenged this age-old custom in Himachal Pradesh. It was socially accepted that the man who made physical relationship with a girl, against her will, was entitled to win that girl as her bride.”

The father left the bed and snatched the newspaper from Komila’s hand. He fixed his eyes on the news column. Though the sunlight had brightened the room, there was unseen darkness in the minds of the elders.

Now Komila began to read the news in the manner of delivering an official speech, “The court has taken it very seriously and the young man and his friend have been found guilty. Accordingly, they have been sentenced to imprisonment, the Youngman for four years and his friend for three years. They have been fined five thousand rupees each. It is a historical verdict. The judge stated that marrying any girl after raping her is really unfortunate. This custom has been insulting the women for so many years. It is a curse on the modern society and the society should be rid of this misfortune. The court has ordered the State Government to take stern steps to stop this practice.”

Having stopped reading, Komila looked at their faces.

It was really shocking news for the people who had already accepted this custom as an inevitable part of their culture. They had hardly ever thought that a parent could go to the court to challenge this custom.

Komila pointed to the tea and sat beside the mother and said, “That’s it. Now, drink tea.”

The elders looked at each other. Instead of joy, there was anger in the mother’s eyes, and she said, “Such criminals should not be spared. Only a few thousand rupees fine and four years in jail does not serve the purpose. He should be shot dead in the public…”

Komila remained silent but the father replied, “This is not only the matter of rape, Suman, it is a long tradition.”

“But in both ways, the girl lost her self-respect and virginity!”

Now Komila spoke, “I can understand your feelings, mother, but this evil tradition has been there in our society for more than two centuries. Someone had to step forward to do something. This is a great beginning.”

The mother went back to the kitchen but Komila came back to her room. She wanted to go out and tell their neighbours, her friends, and relatives about this news. She had not been as happy on the day of receiving the Gold Medal after the M. A. degree as she was after this historical verdict passed by the court. She felt as if the verdict had been given in her favour.

When the mother called her, she went into the father’s room. Komila broke the ice and said, “I wish the uncle could do the same!”

The past began to haunt them. It began to follow Komila and her father. They had lived away from this place, safely in a town. Her father’s brother, her uncle, had been living here. Though Komila had always been safe in the town, the very fear was always with her.

Her uncle’s daughter, Komila’s elder cousin sister, had been kidnapped by a few young men and they could not do anything. Komila felt as if her sister was crying for help but no one wanted to help her in the name of the tradition.

Her father looked at her and smiled. He was happy that Komila had successfully completed her M. A. and she was ready to face the world. He got up and embraced his daughter affectionately. He was sure that Komila could stand against such evil practices.

When her elder sister was kidnapped, Komila was six years old. Her childhood died on the very day and she began to remain silent after that horrible incident. They sent her to the town, away from the evil touch of the horrible traditions. She began to remain silent, lost in her thoughts. Sometimes, at nights, she would suddenly wake up and shout, “They have kidnapped my sister! Please help my sister!”

This news had changed everything and Komila believed that everything was going to change there.

Next week, they came back to the town. She had already applied for a teacher’s job in a college and she got it. She wanted to do something for women in her village and in other parts of the country and the world where they were subjected to such inhuman treatment.

After that verdict, the cases of kidnapping and forced marriages decreased drastically, and it was a good sign. People, especially the parents of daughters were relieved because they could find the bride-grooms of their choice for their daughters. Everything began to look fresh in and around the village.

Komila visited the village at least once in a month. She had made a group of volunteers in her town and they often visited villages to spread the message of equality of women. Many prestigious people and organizations came forward to help her financially. She was happy that there were good people in the world.

Her father was very happy because his daughter’s efforts were being admired in the society. Her photos were published in local newspapers and magazines.

Komila set up an office in three years. She had appointed six staff members. They had launched their own website and donations began to pour in. They started scholarships for the girls from the underprivileged families and helped the women who deserved. They raised voices against those husbands who committed atrocities and treated their wives like animals.

In the process of reforming some parts of the society, she had definitely made a few unseen enemies.

One evening, she parked her car in the underground parking lot of the building where she had recently bought a small flat. Having locked the door of the car, when she was about to go towards the lift, a hand came from behind and closed her mouth. Two arms encircled her body and she was lifted off the ground. A hand with a handkerchief covered her nose. Before she could tell the smell, she lost consciousness.

When she came to, she guessed that she was in the back seat of a moving car. Her hands and legs were tied with a rope. Her mouth was gagged. She opened her eyes and saw the back of two heads in the front seat.

She was in for a very bad situation. Komila was taken to a farmhouse. She was repeatedly raped by three men over the period of one week. She could not see their faces because they kept their faces covered with masks.

After about a week, they threw her out of the running car, near the town whence she walked with difficulty to the nearest police station.

Sitting in front of her father, she was sobbing and staring at the things in the room without any particular motive.

“Everything will be all right, Komila,” said her father.

“What?”

“They say that they will find the criminals…”

“And then…?”

“They will be punished…” said her father with much difficulty.

“You know, father, those beasts in the village are much better than these modern beasts in the towns. They kidnap the girl, one of them rapes her and then marries her, but here they rape the girls and throw them by the side of the road….What do you say, father? Shouldn’t I start working in towns instead of going from village to village? ”

He did not know how to respond, the tears in his eyes were telling the story.