A 60-year-old woman and her daughter, both reportedly suffering from mental health issues, were allegedly confined to a room in their house by the elderly woman`s son in Maharashtra`s Latur district, officials said, adding that both were rescued following the intervention of police and social workers, reported the PTI.
According to the PTI, relatives said the women, rescued on Tuesday, were kept isolated after allegedly disturbing neighbours by throwing stones.
The room from which they were rescued was found littered with several hundred empty plastic water bottles and emitted a foul smell.
The shocking incident came to light in Ratnapur Nagar near Pakharsangvi village, about five km from Latur city, the news agency reported.
Tip-off by social worker prompts rescue
Social activist Venkat Panhale received a tip-off about the situation eight days ago. After verifying the information, he contacted Sharad Zare, founder of Majha Ghar, a shelter home for underprivileged children. Both then met Superintendent of Police (SP) Amol Tambe on Monday and informed him of the situation, according to the PTI.
The SP directed the Anti-Human Trafficking Cell (AHTC) to take immediate action.
Accompanied by social workers, a police team reached the spot on Monday and rescued the woman and her 30-year-old daughter around 11 am the following day.
Tarpaulin-covered room hides women for years
“We had received complaints that the two women were confined in a room for two years. Their room was covered with a tarpaulin sheet from the outside so that nobody could see inside. A small hole was made in the tarpaulin through which food and water bottles were passed to them. When the lock was broken, thousands of empty water bottles were found inside, and a foul smell had spread across the area,” Panhale told the PTI.
Police defend confinement of mentally unwell women in Latur, cite safety concerns
Inspector Shrikant More of MIDC Police Station said, “According to the kin of the women, they were mentally unwell and used to trouble neighbours by throwing stones at them. Therefore, they were kept in a room and provided food on time.”
The elderly woman`s son, Anjum Shoukat Shaikh, claimed his mother was mentally ill, but she was found speaking fluently in Marathi, Panhale said. His sister, however, remained silent, likely due to prolonged trauma. He demanded strict action against Shaikh.
Inspector More added that Shaikh had shown the medical records of the two women to the police. “As Shaikh and his brother assured that they would take proper care of their mother and sister, the women were handed over to them,” he said, reported PTI.
No case has been registered in connection with the incident.
(With PTI inputs)
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