Mangalore: Woman rescued at Kateel recovering, husband arrested

Sunil Haleangady
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (EP)

Updated

Mangalore, Dec 20: A woman at Ajar in Kateel who was allegedly subjected to cruelty by her husband for the last 20 years is undergoing medical treatment at Mangalore’s wenlock hospital and is recovering.

The woman, Sulochana, was rescued on Thursday December 19 in a joint operation by Manjula of women and child development department and other officials, local activists, Mannabettu gram panchayat members and the Mulky police.  She was initially admitted to primary health center at Karnad, Mulky.

Sulochana (48) was allegedly tortured by her husband Madhava Poojary (55) for 20 years and kept under house arrest from four years.

The doctor at the Karnad health center who examined her condition had said that Sulochana’s knees were hit with a hard object resulting in bone injury. As she had grown weak due to lack of food the doctor suggested to take her to Mangalore’s Wenlock hospital.

She has responded to the treatment which will continue under the supervision of the department of women and child development department, it is learnt.

Meanwhile, Madhava Poojary has been arrested by Mulky police and interrogated on Friday.  However, absence of complaint against him has been an impediment to the enquiry, say the police. They added that if nobody lodges a complaint against him, the police may take suo moto action considering the gravity of the alleged crime.

Earlier Report

Mangalore: Shocking - Woman tortured for 20 years, put under house arrest by husband

Sunil Haleangady
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore

Mangalore, Dec 20: In a startling incident that came to light on Thursday December 19 in Mulky, a woman was found to have been allegedly kept under house arrest for the past four years and tortured since 20 years by her husband.

The woman, identified as Sulochana (48) was in a pitiable condition when she was rescued from her house at Ajar near Kateel.

Based on credible information that Sulochana was being tortured by her husband, the officials of women and child welfare department, Mannabettu gram panchayat members, and Mulky police along with media persons visited the house and found Sulochana inhumanly bundled in a corner of a room by her husband Madhava Poojary (55).

Sulochana, who hails from Kallianpur, Udupi, got married to Madhava Poojary in Mumbai 23 years ago. They faced no marital problems initially, however, after Madhava left his job there and the couple settled down in Ajar, his behaviour started to change, said Sulochana.

Though he appeared decent and respectable to the locals, he allgedly harassed his mother as well younger sister and chased them away. Locals said that he even sold off a piece of land located near his house.

It is said that for the past 20 years, Madhava had been allegedly making up petty excuses and repeatedly beating and torturing his wife. Four years ago he reportedly forbade her from venturing out of the house and started hitting her hard on the knees such that she is unable to even walk now. He would even lock the house from outside and close all the windows when going for work, said Sulochana, adding that he did not even provide her sufficient food and one of the neighbours would secretly give her food when the husband was not home. She also said that one or two other neighbours had supported Madhava in his actions.

Officials of the department of women and child development Shyamala, Kalpana, Asha and others got Sulochana admitted to Mulky government hospital.