A village panchayat in Bihar's Kishanganj district has banned women from using mobile phones as a measure to check the increasing cases of 'love affairs' and other 'evils'.
The panchayat has also issued an order to impose a fine of Rs 10,000 on a girl and a Rs 2,000 on a married woman if they are found talking on mobile phones outside their house.
The orders have been issued by the Sunderbadi village panchayat in Kishanganj. "We have formed the
samajik salam committee to strictly implement the orders of the panchayat," Mohammad Manjoor Alam, a villager, who presided over the panchayat meeting said.
Alam said that
the use of mobile phones is the main cause behind the rise of evils in society. "The youths, particularly school and college-going teenagers, are becoming victims of these evils," he added.
According to the villagers, these orders were issued so that girls are not "spoiled" by the use of mobile phones.
Alam said that several cases had cropped up in which girls found themselves in trouble because of the use of mobile phones.
Interestingly, Kishanganj Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar said that he has no information about such a diktat. "The local police officials have been asked to inquire into the matter," he said.