Brother and sister freed after 14-year ordeal in captivity
Akashdeep (32) and Sunita (30) were barred from venturing out of their home. Police said their own brothers Vijay and Satish had held them captive.
Punjab Police on Wednesday freed a man and his sister who were in the captivity of their own brothers for the past 14 years in Fazilka.
Akashdeep (32) and Sunita (30) were barred from venturing out of their home. Police said their own brothers Vijay and Satish had held them captive.
"They were being held captive like that for the last 14 years. They did not allow them to come out of the room and barred them from even bathing and were also poorly fed. They were also beaten up severely and we have witnessed the torture and screams daily," a neighbour of Akashdeep's told police.
Sources said the family owns property worth crores of rupees. Vijay and Satish reportedly didn't want to share the property with their siblings. While Akashdeep is a Class 12 pass out, Sunita is a trained nursery teacher. Police said after their property conflict took a turn, Vijay and Satish started torturing them.
SHO Fazilka Bitan Kumar said: "After receiving the complaint, we went to the Ban Bazar area of the town and met Akashdeep and Sunita who were allegedly confined to the home. We did not find them in chains. They are in depression. Further investigations in the case are on."
Sources said the police are yet to register a case and has taken no action against the accused brothers. Fazilka SSP Swapan Sharma assured that action will soon be taken against the accused brothers.
Meanwhile, a local NGO took Akashdeep and Sunita for medical examination on Thursday after the volunteers had found marks of brutality on their bodies.
Similar incidents of people being chained were reported in the past. In August this year, a Dalit person was locked in a dog's cage in Tarn Taran.
In another incident, a 30-year-old was found chained to a tube well in a Ludhiana village for seven years by his own brothers.