Seven years of mental and emotional exploitation culminated into a night-long rape on 30 March 2017, after Neeti (name changed) escaped from her deceased husband’s home to tell her neighbours that her two brothers-in-law, along with an acquaintance, sexually assaulted her all night long. However, the local police denied Neeti’s claim of sexual assault and said that it is only a “land-dispute gone ugly”.
Speaking to The Sunday Guardian, Neeti said, “I was trafficked from Bengal when I was 20 years old and married off to Brindavan, my husband, who lived in ‘Musapur urf Ghat Gao’, Bareilly. I was four months pregnant when my husband was murdered by the elder and younger brothers of my husband. My son is now six years old and I have not been able to send him to school because I cannot afford the fees. I have no money and often have to ask for food from our neighbours. My brothers-in-law want to own the land that belonged to my husband. After my husband died, they wanted me to leave, but I did not go. These past seven years have been hell for me and my son. But on 30 March, they made their final move, and along with an acquaintance, raped me.”
According to Neeti, her husband was poisoned, but there was no police case filed because there were no witnesses or evidence to prove it. “I know he was poisoned because there was white foam coming out of his mouth when he died. I spoke to the village head several times, but he told me that I should let go of the past and live peacefully with my son.”
The officer at the local police station in Baheri said, “We are aware of her situation. We know that she is a troubled widow and has a son. We, along with other village elders, have asked the two brothers-in-law to resolve the matter and give her the share of land she rightly deserves.”
Asked about getting the survivor’s medical check-up done since she claimed to be sexually assaulted, the police officer said, “There is no need for a medical check-up. This is a land dispute case, not a sexual assault case.”
Neeti said that when on the morning of 31 March, she managed to escape from the confinement of her home, she, with the help of a neighbour, dialled 100 and narrated her tale to the police, following which a few policemen came and detained the two brothers-in-law until evening. However, they were allowed to go later.
The police officer admitted that the police let them go.
“Yes, we had brought them to the police station and after counselling them to let the widow have her share of land, we allowed them to leave,” he said.
“The family dispute is public knowledge. We are trying our best to help the widow to get her share of her deceased husband’s property,” he added.