'Triple talaq' on WhatsApp: Rajasthan woman files case against Kuwait-based husband over divorce message

A woman in Rajasthan's Banswara district has filed a police complaint alleging that her husband, who is working in Kuwait, ended their marriage by sending a triple talaq message through WhatsApp.Police have registered a case against the accused, identified as Ashiq Iqbal, a resident of Gorakh Imli village who has reportedly been employed in Kuwait for the past year, IANS reported.The woman told police that she received a WhatsApp message from her husband on May 17 in which he pronounced triple talaq, an Islamic practice that was outlawed in India under the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019.Women's Police Station SHO Urmila said a case had been registered and legal proceedings were underway. Police will issue a notice to Iqbal and seek his response as part of the investigation.In her complaint, the woman alleged that she had faced years of physical and mental abuse during the marriage. She claimed that whenever her husband returned from Kuwait, disputes would begin shortly after his arrival and would often escalate into harassment and physical violence.The complainant said she has been living separately in Banswara with her two sons, aged 16 and 10, and has been solely responsible for their upbringing. She also alleged that she remained away from her husband's relatives, including her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, due to ongoing family tensions.Police said statements from the parties involved will be recorded as part of the investigation. Since the accused is currently residing overseas, authorities will follow the required legal process to contact him and secure his participation in the case.The case has drawn attention because triple talaq, also known as instant divorce, was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court before being criminalised through legislation in 2019. The law makes the practice a punishable offence in India.The investigation is continuing.