Woman Locked In Dark Room For 15 Years Rescued

The Indian Police in Goa on Wednesday claimed to have rescued a 50-year-old woman who had been locked in a dark room by her brother for 15 years. The woman, identified as Sunita Verlekar, was rescued by police from her parents’ home in North Goa’s Candolim village, following a tip-off by a well-known women’s rights organization, Bailancho Saad.

“She was in a closed room for 15 years. “We were informed about it by the organization, following which a Women’s Police Station team rescued her on Tuesday,’’ SP (Crime) Karthik Kashyap told newsmen. Police said that the woman has been sent to a state-run hospital, following which she would be admitted to Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour.

Local media reports said that the woman came back to her parents’ house some 15 years ago after her relations with the man got soured when she found out that he already had a wife. The reports said her family members locked her in the room after she started behaving abnormally after her return from Mumbai and they used to serve her food and water from a window. “We have registered a case, but have not arrested anyone.

A probe is on. “The statement of the woman’s family members have been recorded and we are speaking to neighbours,’’ another police official said.