Haryana: Locked up in a Toilet for Over a Year, Woman Rescued

While her husband claimed that that the woman had mental health issues, authorities refuted this.

After reportedly being locked up in a toilet for over a year by her husband, a woman in Haryana's Rishpur village was rescued by the Women Protection and Child Marriage Prohibition team on Wednesday, 14 October.

Protection and Child Marriage Prohibition Officer Rajni Gupta led the rescue operation after she received information about the 35-year-old woman being confined by her husband. “When we reached here, we found that it was true. It seems that woman has not eaten anything for many days," she told ANI.

The 35-year-old woman, who is a mother of three children, was married to her husband Naresh Kumar for 17 years, reported Hindustan Times. Her husband reportedly claimed she was suffering from mental health issues. NDTV quoted him saying, "She was mentally unstable. We ask her to sit outside but she does not sit there. We have taken her to doctors but there was no improvement in her condition."

Rajni Gupta, however, refuted his claims.

“It is being said that she is mentally unstable, but it is not true. We have talked to her and it was apparent that she is not mentally unstable. We cannot confirm whether she is mentally unstable or not, but she was locked in the toilet. We rescued her and washed her hair. We have filed a police complaint. Police will take action accordingly.”

Rajni Gupta, Protection and Child Marriage Prohibition Officer to ANI

A case was registered against woman’s husband Naresh Kumar under sections 498 A and 342 of the IPC and he was arrested, reported Hindustan Times.