Private jail for fishermen’s human catch

Vijaysinh Parmar TNN Veraval (Junagadh): If only the shame of being nabbed could deter a criminal! Amazingly, that’s the logic that drove the close-knit Kharva community of fishermen living along Gujarat’s coastline, to have its own jail. The community has jails in 12 places, including Porbander, Veraval, Mangrol, Jafrabad and Mandvi. They are deliberately located in public places so that the culprit can be easily spotted by community members. Unable to face this humiliation, after a brief stint in jail, the criminal not only confesses to the crime, but also pledges not to repeat it. A kotval, appointed by the community, manages the jail round-theclock and even sports a khakhi uniform. The Veraval Samasta Kharva Gnyati manages a jail here which has three rooms. Apart from jails, community courts are part of this traditional system of law and order. No legal fees need to be paid and a verdict is given by the leader of the community, called ‘Patel’, usually within 10 days. In fact, so efficient is the system of justice, that 98 per cent of disputes are settled in these courts. “We have our own law and order system and every member of our community has to follow it. If there is a family dispute or a row among members of the community, it’s resolved in our own court. No one approaches regular courts,” explains Kishan Varidum, a member of the community. Every day, as many as 50 cases are disposed of in a community court which convenes at 10 am. Both parties are given a chance to place their points of view before the court and the Patel, as the judge, gives the verdict and fixes the fine according to the gravity of the crime. No member can over-rule his verdict. The ‘Patel’ also has the final say in any development-related decision. Apart from robberies, murders, property disputes and boat accidents, domestic violence also comes up for settlement. After two or three days, the culprit is made to appear before the community court. Once he confesses, he is fined and let off. Many times, the punishment is a spell of social service. One interesting rule — the court never grants divorce!