Woman breaks free from captivity in Rajgarh:Claims husband allegedly confined abused her; escapes confinement by walking 6km to seek help

A disturbing case of alleged domestic abuse has emerged from Rajgarh district, where a woman arrived at Khilchipur Police Station late on the night of June 12 carrying visible signs of severe torture. Police personnel on duty were shocked to find an iron chain locked around her neck, burn injuries on her waist, hips and thighs, and thorns embedded in her feet after what she claimed was a desperate escape from captivity. As soon as she reached the police station, the woman broke down in tears. After being consoled by officers, she alleged that her husband had chained her to a pillar inside their home and kept her confined to prevent her from approaching the police with complaints against him. According to the woman, she remained captive for nearly 24 hours. She eventually managed to break the lock with a stone, escaped from the house, and walked nearly six kilometres during the night before reaching the police station and seeking help. Acting on her complaint, police registered a case and arrested the accused husband. The woman later recounted her ordeal in a conversation with Dainik Bhaskar, detailing the alleged abuse and torture she suffered at his hands. Husband allegedly turned violent after demanding food Mangibai Tanwar (30), a resident of Chhipipura village in Khilchipur told police, “The incident began on June 10 while I was at home. At around noon, her husband returned and asked her to serve food. When I replied that it was being prepared and would be served shortly, he allegedly lost his temper and began hurling abuses at me”. According to Mangibai, when she objected to the verbal abuse, her husband went outside, broke a branch from a tree and used it as a stick to assault her. Allegedly enraged by her resistance, he repeatedly struck her with the stick and also slapped her several times. The woman further alleged that such incidents were not new and that her husband frequently assaulted her, particularly after consuming alcohol. However, exhausted by what she described as constant abuse and violence, she decided this time not to remain silent and resolved to approach the police for help. Husband allegedly intercepted her before she could reach police station The woman told police that she waited until her husband fell asleep before attempting to escape and lodge a complaint. She set out for Khilchipur Police Station, located about six kilometres from her home, but lost her way in the darkness and spent the entire night wandering through fields and wooded areas. By daybreak, she had managed to reach Khilchipur. However, she alleged that just a short distance from the police station, near Panchmukhi Hanuman Temple, her husband tracked her down and stopped her. According to the complaint, he forced her onto a motorcycle and attempted to take her back home. When she resisted, he allegedly assaulted her again on the roadside. A passer-by identified as Balu Tanwar reportedly intervened, after which the accused calmed down temporarily before allegedly taking her back home against her will. Allegedly chained to a pole and threatened for trying to complain The woman further alleged that once they returned home, her husband assaulted her again before carrying out an even more brutal act. According to her statement, he placed an iron chain around her neck, tied the other end to a pole in the courtyard and secured it with padlocks. She claimed, “After locking me in place, my husband taunted saying, “Now let’s see how you go to the police station and file a complaint against me.” The alleged torture did not end there. The woman told investigators, “My husband heated an iron rod on a gas stove and branded several parts of my body, including my waist, hips and right thigh. Whenever I screamed in pain, he covered my mouth to prevent anyone from hearing my cries for help”. According to her statement, there was no one nearby who could come to her rescue. Allegedly kept hungry for a day, pressured to retract allegations before village council The woman alleged that she remained chained and confined for nearly 24 hours, during which she was subjected to continuous pressure from her husband. She said, “My husband repeatedly spoke about convening a village panchayat and insisted that I publicly declare myself a liar”. She claimed, “My husband wanted me to provide a written statement before the village elders stating that all allegations made against him were false and that I would never approach the police again”. Mangibai told investigators that, fearing further violence, she pretended to agree to his demands while secretly looking for an opportunity to escape. According to her account, after she appeared to give in, her husband left the house in the evening to gather villagers for the proposed panchayat meeting. Seizing the opportunity, she picked up a stone lying nearby and began striking the small padlock that secured the chain to the pole. After repeated attempts and considerable effort, she managed to break the lock, paving the way for her eventual escape. Escaped with chain still around her neck, walked 6 km to reach police Mangibai added, “After managing to break the lock, I fled the house immediately without wasting a moment. It was around 6 pm. Although the chain and padlock were still hanging around my neck, I chose to escape through a forest route to avoid being spotted by my husband”. Fearing that he might chase her, she continued walking despite the difficult terrain. During the six-kilometre journey to Khilchipur, thorns pierced her feet and she suffered several scrapes and injuries, but she did not stop. Nearly four hours later, at around 10 pm, she finally reached Khilchipur Police Station, where she broke down in tears while narrating her ordeal to officers. Bystanders mistook her for a disturbed woman, unaware of her ordeal The woman recalled that as she entered Khilchipur, passers-by were startled to see an iron chain and lock hanging around her neck. Some people assumed she was mentally unstable, while others simply stared, unaware that the chain was evidence of her alleged captivity. According to her, “No one initially understood the trauma I had endured. Exhausted, injured and hungry after spending several hours on the road, I wandered through the town before a local resident noticed my condition and offered me something to eat. After having a snack and regaining some strength, I gathered the courage to walk into the police station and report the alleged abuse”. Police removed the chain, recorded her statement and arrested the accused The woman said, “The moment I entered the police station, I broke down and began crying uncontrollably. Police officers first calmed me down and removed the iron chain and padlock that were still fastened around my neck”. After hearing her account, officers arranged food for her and sent her for a medical examination. During the examination, she pointed out the injuries and burn marks that she alleged had been inflicted by her husband. Based on her statement and the preliminary findings, a police team immediately rushed to the village and arrested the accused, Sardar Singh Tanwar. Married for a decade, lost her infant child five years ago Speaking to Dainik Bhaskar, the woman said she originally belongs to Birjipura village in Rajasthan’s Manoharthana region. She married Sardar Singh Tanwar, a resident of Chhipipura village, about 10 years ago and later moved in with him. The couple earned their livelihood through farming and lived together in a house located on the outskirts of the village. The woman said, We were blessed with a child nearly five years after our marriage. However, the infant died from illness when it was just three months old. We did not have any more children after that tragedy”. According to her allegations, her husband frequently consumed alcohol and would often assault her under its influence, making violence a recurring part of her married life. Chained around the neck after assault Khilchipur TI Kamal Singh Gehlot said, “This is a domestic dispute. Initial information revealed that the woman had cooked food for her husband. During this, a dispute arose between the two and the husband assaulted her”. He added, “Later, the woman was coming to the police station to file a complaint, but on the way, her husband stopped her and took her back home. He feared that the woman would file a report against him, so he chained her to prevent her from going to the police station”.