In an incident that is more in sync with medieval times than the 21st century, a man put his wife – a mother of three young children – at stake while gambling with his friends and allowed them to sexually assault her. He also thrashed her and broke her finger when she went to her mother's house and refused to return.
The police said they have registered a case and are investigating.
The woman, a resident of the Shahbad police station area in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur, whose identity is being kept confidential by NDTV, said, "I got married in 2013. My father-in-law and my husband tortured and assaulted me for dowry. My husband is an alcohol and gambling addict. He has lost 12 bighas (approximately seven acres) of land and all my jewellery while gambling and also put me at stake with his friends. I protested and called the 112 women's helpline, but he ran away when the police came."
Alleging that the man allowed his friends to sexually assault her, she added, "He didn't even let me have water and assaulted me while his friends were present. I went to my mother's house and, on September 4, he came here with his friends, broke my finger and tried to drag me home. He tore my clothes, thrashed me and his friends also had their way with me. When our neighbours gathered, they ran away. I have three small children, I want my husband to save whatever he has for them. I want action to be taken against my husband and his friends."
"I can't even begin to tell you what they did to me. I will reveal it all in court." she said.
Rampur Superintendent of Police Vidyasagar Mishra said a case has been registered and investigation is underway. "She has said her husband is a gambling addict who has lost their land and used to beat her up," Mr Mishra said.
(With inputs from Tamkin Faiyaz)
