A 39-year-old woman from Bhadrak in Odisha tried to commit suicide in front of chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s residene here on Sunday afternoon.

The woman, Monorama Barik, was trying to highlight the police failure to give justice to her. She climbed up a tree near Naveen Niwas and threatened to jump off it to end her life. “My husband has deserted me and I am yet to get alimony. I have been fighting to get justice for so many years. I decided to end my life here in front of Naveen Niwas to highlight police’s failure to deliver justice to me,” said the woman.

Narrating her plight, she said: “My brother was killed when I was reading in Class IX. I was the lone witness to that case. Later I was forced to marry one of the accused involved in the murder case. Even I compromised on it and tried to lead a peaceful life. But I was beaten up frequently and even falsely implicated in a case and put behind bars. My husband deserted me. I was acquitted five years back. But when I tried to raise the issue, I was again beaten up.”

Monorama further said: “I have already lodged complaints with the chief minister’s grievance cell. For the last one year, I have been fighting for justice. Yesterday, I came to lodge a complaint again. But the police did not listen to me. That’s why I have decided to end my life here”.

The fire brigade officials climbed up the tree using a ladder and with the help of the police rescued her. Later the police whisked her away and remained tight-lipped on the issue.