Sanquelim  (Goa): A mother and her son are likely to face arrest for confining their very own family member for nearly 25 years without proper food, clothing and sanitation. 

 

The Bicholim police have booked mother Sindhu Mandrekar and her son Vishwesh under sections 342 for wrongful confinement and 323 of Indian Penal Codd for assaulting Vidhuta (victim) all these years. 

 

Vidhuta, daughter and sister of the respective two accused was held captive even before she could complete her graduation in Bachelor of Arts. While the accused claimed that the unmarried woman, now aged 42 years was mentally unsound; there have been allegations that her beauty was the reason behind the criminal act. “Family feared the girl would elope bringing shame to them, so they locked her in a room. She was not allowed to step out of her home. As such she remained inside for 25 years with not even a ray of light penetrating in the room,” said a police source. 

 

The victim was rescued last Saturday after a tip off to the police and social activists. As she undergoes physical and psychological treatment, police registered a case against both the accused. 

 

NGO Savera, in its complaint to the police alleged that the victim complained she was not given proper food and water. The woman was also not given any mattress and had to sleep on the cemented floor. Moreover at the time of the rescue the room smelt of liquor. 

 

Team TNV