Renu Devi at the janata darbar in Patna on Monday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, June 6: Demand for maintenance from separated husband brought 50-year-old Renu Devi from Kalyanbigha village of chief minister Nitish Kumar in Nalanda district to the latter’s janata darbar at 1 Aney Marg today.

As soon as Renu handed over her application to Nitish, he looked at her and said: “What’s your complaint? It seems you belong to my village.”

Renu said, “Sir, my husband tied the knot with another woman 10 years ago, leaving me alone with two children. I lost my son in 2003 and my daughter got married five years ago. The money for the wedding was collected through donations and now I am alone with no financial support. I don’t know what to do.” Renu, talking to The Telegraph, said her son died of typhoid and she did not even have enough money to get him proper treatment. About her daughter she said her son-in-law has refused to keep Renu with them.

Nitish asked Renu how has she been living for the past ten years and she replied: “I don’t have any financial support. My relatives allow me to stay at their home for some day and after certain period, they ask me to leave. Then I seek shelter at some other relative’s place and this is how I have been surviving till now. My condition is really bad. I have also lodged complaint at Harnaut Police station but till now they have not taken any action into the matter.”

She further added: “Many times, I have tried to stay with my husband but he beats me up. Look at my right hand, it almost got fractured the last time I visited Kalyanbigha. I have come here with lots of expectations, I belong to your village, I am just like your neighbour, please take this matter on priority basis.”

After listening to the complaint, Nitish asked Renu to visit the table of Patna deputy inspector-general Vineet Vinayak who called up the official concerned from his mobile and asked him the reason for the delay in the case. Vinayak asked Renu to meet the officer tomorrow and assured her of early redress of her grievance.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Renu said, “Some villagers suggested that I should visit the chief minister’s janata darbar because he too is from Kalyanbigha, so may listen to my problem on priority basis.”