National
Young mother in prison with two daughters
Shanti Sunar has been living within the confines of Lamjung District Prison with her two daughters.Aash Gurung
Shanti Sunar has been living within the confines of Lamjung District Prison with her two daughters.
She and her husband, Pramod Sunar, were convicted with polygamy by Tanahun District Court and sentenced to one year prison term.
Born to Brahmin parents, Shanti married Pramod, who belongs to a Dalit community. The couple lived happily for some years. They had two daughters, one is two and half years old and the other is just 10 months old. The 22-year-old mother wonders why her marriage with Pramod was not contested before they became parents.
“More than me and my husband, the jail life has become tough for my children,” she says.”They get sick sometimes and I have to rely on the prison authority for their treatment and care.”
Both daughters live with their mother in the prison while their father is doing time in Tanahun District Prison.
“Every now and then, my eldest daughter asks about her father. “Why he isn’t here with us?”, “Is he alright?”, “Will he visit us?” It saddens me,” says Shanti.
“I cannot send them to
my parents home because they are still mad at me for marrying a man from a
lower caste.”
Shanti was transferred to Lamjung District Prison because there was no separate facility for female inmates in Tanahun District Prison.
Jailer Kamiman Sunar says they are doing everything in their capacity to take good care of the girls.
“But mind you, this is a prison,” he adds. “Life here is not going to be like outside.”