Kin of Haryana woman locked inside toilet for 1.5 years don’t want police action against husband

The family says they do not want to harass the woman’s three children.

The family and relatives of the woman, who was locked up inside a toilet and forced to live in inhuman conditions in Haryana’s Panipat district, do not want any police action against her husband.

Ramrati was rescued by officials of the district woman and child welfare department on Wednesday. She was handed over to her cousin who lives in a village in the district. (HT File)

Ramrati was rescued by officials of the district woman and child welfare department on Wednesday. She was handed over to her cousin who lives in a village in the district.

On Thursday, a team led by protection officer Rajni Gupta reached out to the family to record their statements but they have refused to file a police complaint against her husband Naresh Kumar. The family says they do not want to harass the woman’s three children.

“Nobody has come forward to file a police complaint against her husband after we rescued her from the toilet. We will take up the matter with senior officers,” Gupta said.

Gupta said her husband and family claimed that she was having some mental illness but they were unable to produce any paper or medical reports.

On a complaint filed by Gupta on Wednesday, the police had arrested and booked Naresh under Sections 498 A and 342 of the Indian Penal Code. Police officials said Naresh was released on bail a few hours after the arrest.

Haryana State Commission for Women member Preeti Bhardwaj said, “There is a need to invoke more stricter sections against her husband as she was being forced to live in inhuman conditions and this is a violation of her Right to Live.” Bhardwaj said her husband has got bail as no strict sections were invoked in the FIR. “However, a 10-member committee will be formed to look into the matter.

Ramrati’s cousin Anil Kumar said, “The behavior of her husband and children towards her was not appropriate for the past few years after she developed mental illness. When I went to see her on Rakshabandhan she was living in the toilet and told me she wants to go with me. I took up the matter with her husband and son. They had assured me they will take care of her.”

He said Naresh had not visited them since two years after they refused to sell a buffalo to him.

Anil and his mother Vidya Devi said, “We are ready to keep her at our house but we do not want any police action against her husband as this may also affect their children.”

Ramrati is unable to walk due to weakness and could not stretch her legs since she was locked in the 3X3ft toilet. Her cousins said they will take her to a hospital.

Her relatives said Ramrati’s father had passed away before she was married and her elder brother was allegedly found dead in the fields eight years ago. Her mother Kela Devi left the village and is now living at her brother’s house in Katesra village of Rohtak district.