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Former women hockey captain’s hubby booked for domestic violence
FIR states that Shanta Kumar Singh thrashed Suraj Lata Devi when they were participating in a tournament in Sultanpur Lodhi in November
Former Indian women’s hockey captain and Arjuna awardee has accused her husband, also a former hockey player, of physically and mentally torturing her when the couple was officiating in a tournament organised by the Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Sultanpur Lodhi, Kapurthala, in November last year.
The Sultanpur Lodhi police on Sunday registered a case against Suraj Lata Devi’s husband, Shanta Kumar Singh, after her complaint was forwarded by the Heingang police in Manipur. Devi, who hails from Manipur, filed the complaint in the north-eastern state on January 10.
The couple got married in February 2005.
They were putting up in an RCF official accommodation when Singh, according to the first information report (FIR), tired her hands and legs and beat her up till midnight in an inebriated condition on November 8.
The Kapurthala police booked Singh under Sections 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 343 (wrongful confinement for three or more days), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Devi, who is employed with the western railways in Mumbai as an officer superintendent, alleged that her husband abused and tortured her as she refused to transfer her agricultural land in his name.
“Under the influence of liquor, my husband dragged me on the floor and tore my clothes. He tied my legs and thrashed me black and blue till 2.30am on November 8, she alleged, adding that he again tried to beat her up on November 13, but she managed to escape.
Sultanpur Lodhi deputy superintendent of police Sarwan Singh said Devi filed a complaint with the Manipur police but as the crime took place in Sultanpur Lodhi, the FIR has been registered here.
Devi led the Indian team to Gold for three consecutive years, including the 2002 Commonwealth Games (the event which inspired the 2007 Bollywood flick ‘Chak De India’), 2003 Afro-Asian Games, and 2004 Hockey Asia Cup. She was conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2003.
