Kamal Ghorui
AHMEDABAD: For nearly three years, a young woman in Ahmedabad says was incessantly abused: beaten, controlled, humiliated and denied basic freedom inside her marital home. Her Gujarati-medium education became a constant ground for humiliation within her marital home, she alleged.Finally, the 28-year-old woman filed a complaint with the Mahila police station (Ahmedabad Rural) alleging domestic violence, marital rape and dowry harassment against her husband and in-laws.According to the complaint filed on April 9, the woman, who got married in Nov 2021, says the trouble began within days of her wedding. Her Gujarati-medium schooling became a regular source of ridicule inside the house. She was told she was “not smart enough”, unfavourably compared with other family members and taunted over her ability to handle household work.She alleges her husband would return home drunk, physically assault her and force her into sexual relations against her will. She also claims she was controlled in basic ways — restricted in what she could eat and where she could go. She was not allowed to visit her parents even when her father was seriously ill.Her in-laws and husband allegedly demanded Rs 10 lakh as dowry. Her father paid the amount in 2022, but she says the harassment continued. When her parents once came to visit, she was allegedly locked inside a bathroom to prevent them from meeting her. She also claims she was forced to undergo medical treatment on the grounds that she was suffering from depression.Tensions worsened after she discovered her husband was in contact with another woman. She says she was repeatedly threatened and abused before being forced out of the house. Her in-laws have allegedly retained some of her jewellery.Attempts to resolve the matter through community intervention and counselling did not succeed, with the accused reportedly refusing any settlement. The woman is currently living with her parents. Police have registered a case under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigation is underway.(The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
