Alipurduar, April 21: Gita Oraon has been living under a tree in a field for the past 15 days, with little to eat and too weak and sick to move, after being disowned by her family and neighbours for marrying a second time while her first husband was alive.

The tribal woman in her late thirties spends her days and nights on the ground of Gobin Memorial Madhyamik Shiksha Kendra at Khayerbari village in Alipurduar. “Her condition is serious,” said the head of the local minority community.

“Our women sometimes give her water and a little food packed in banana leaves. But she cannot move and goats, hens and ducks eat up the food,” Abdul Hamid, the head of the Muslim community added.

Gita’s first husband, Surait Oraon, lives hardly 600-700 metres from the field, but has not come even once to see her, said the woman.

Gita, who spoke with difficulty, said her troubles began a year ago when Surait did not come home for a long time from Bhutan, where he worked as a day labourer. “He did not send any money for me and our daughter, Sanjita. In desperation, I married Saniram Oraon, another day worker living in a nearby village.”

Sanjita, 10, stayed back at her uncle’s place, Gita said.

Recently, however, Saniram forced Gita out of the house and Surait refused to take her back in. Her father Paresh Oraon disowned her too and neighbours shut their doors on her face. “I had nowhere to go,” said Gita.

Village head Somnath Kujur said: “There is a strict rule in our society that no woman can marry a second time when her husband is alive. Gita made the mistake so her husband refused to accept her and we declared that she had no place in our society. None of us went to help Gita because we do not have any sympathy for her.”

Local gram panchayat member Sounath Kujur said he had been tied up with campaigning ahead of the panchayat polls. “I will take Gita to Madarihat Block Health Centre soon,” he said.