Published Feb 02, 2024 | 3:45 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 02, 2024 | 5:28 PM
Woman confined for 12 years rescued. (iStock)
On Friday, 2 February, a 29-year-old woman named Suma was rescued from forced confinement by her husband in Matakere village, Mysuru rural district.
Married to Sunalaya for 12 years, Suma endured repeated episodes of captivity, accused by her husband of engaging in an extramarital affair. The distressing truth surfaced when she endured a two-to-three-week lockdown upon returning from her mother’s house.
The HD Kote police came to Suma’s rescue on Friday, breaking the locks that kept her confined and reuniting her with her mother. Prompted by concerned villagers, a lawyer named Siddapaji, along with officials from the state-run counselling centre and a police officer, intervened to rescue Suma.
Surprisingly, despite the prolonged harassment, Suma has chosen not to pursue legal action, expressing a desire to work on her relationship after seeking refuge with her mother.
In the grim details shared by the police, Sunalaya used three locks to keep Suma inside a room in their home, with closed windows at all times. The rescue operation involved breaking these locks to free Suma.
Shedding light on the situation, a senior police officer from HD Kote police told South First, “They have been married for 12 years. After Suma recently returned from her mother’s house, she was locked up for two to three weeks by her husband.”
Suma, returning from her mother’s house, was immediately confined by Sunalaya. Concerned neighbours, noticing her absence for weeks, alerted the authorities.
Suma recounted her ordeal while speaking to reporters, “He would beat me without reason, suspecting every little thing. I was confined in a room without a toilet, having to use a box placed in a corner for necessities.”
She added, “Even my children were not allowed to come into the room before he came. I gave them food through the window.”
Suma had been regularly confined over the 12 years of her marriage whenever Sunalaya suspected her of wrongdoing. She wasn’t allowed to speak to anyone in the neighbourhood.
“He consistently confined me within the house, subjecting me to torture. No one in the neighbourhood questioned him as he maintained good relations with everyone in the area,” she said.
Suma and her two children have undergone counselling with a Child Development Project Officer.
Sunalaya was married twice before, and both his previous wives left him under similar circumstances of alleged harassment.
A 29-year-old woman named Suma was rescued from forced confinement by her husband in Matakere village, #Mysuru rural district.
Suma had been regularly confined over the 12 years of her marriage whenever Sunalaya suspected her of wrongdoing. The HD Kote police came to Suma’s… pic.twitter.com/uW0hHYckP0
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) February 2, 2024
