On her wa5y home from teaching school, Jhinuk witnesses an assault on a young woman, Romita, and her husband. Through this fateful and transforming event, the lives of two women from different social backgrounds intersect. After rushing to assist, Jhinuk convinces the couple to file a complaint with the police. The event becomes headline news and Jhinuk is hailed as a heroine. But these moments of glory are fleeting, and any feelings of good will evaporate as the families of the two women bristle at Jhinuk's unwavering pursuit of justice. Individual liberties and justice collide with middle- and upper-class sensibilities-and lose the battle. Jhinuk and Romita both have to contend with unspoken codes that coil around them with oppressive strength.