A man has been arrested for forcing his wife to live in inhuman conditions and locking her up inside a toilet since last one and a half year in Rishpur village of Haryana’s Panipat district, officials said on Wednesday.
The woman, 35, was rescued from the toilet by a team of district women and child welfare department officials.
In-charge of Sanoli police station Surender Dahiya said a case was registered against the accused Naresh Kumar under Sections 498A and 342 of the Indian Penal Code.
The couple have been married for last 17 years and have three children—a 16-year-old son and two daughters aged 15 and 11.
District women protection officer Rajni Gupta said a team reached the house with police after getting information that a woman was held captive by her husband. “We found her locked inside the toilet. During investigation, it was found that she was forced to live in inhuman conditions for the past one and a half year. She was not even provided proper food and drinking water,” she added.
Gupta said the woman was taken to the civil hospital and later handed over to her cousin.
{{/usCountry}}Gupta said the woman was taken to the civil hospital and later handed over to her cousin.
{{/usCountry}}Her husband claimed that she was having mental health issues. However, Gupta said the woman was able to identify all family members and replied to the questions asked by the team. “Her husband could not produce document related to treatment of mental illness,” she added.
The district woman and child welfare department officers said the behaviour of her children was also not good towards her. They will be counseled to find out if they were involved with their father in locking the woman inside the toilet.