WORLD : Woman Allowed to Beat Husband
A local court permitted a woman to publicly beat her husband before it granted him a divorce, United News of India reported today.
The beating occurred Oct. 7 but went unreported until a social organization, apparently outraged by the incident, complained to the government. No action has been taken.
The man, from a town in western Gujarat state, was seeking a divorce from his first wife to marry another woman, the news agency reported. She agreed, on condition that he first submit to a beating.
Under Indian law, Hindus can have only one wife at a time. The law does not apply to Muslims, who are permitted up to four wives.
Gujarat is the home state of Mohandas K. Gandhi, who led India’s struggle for freedom against English rule and preached nonviolence.
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