Kanpur (UP), April 1 A 25-year-old woman has accused her husband and in-laws of forcing her to participate in naked occult rituals, sexually abusing her, and subjecting her to prolonged physical and mental torture, police said on Wednesday.
According to the FIR, the woman, a resident of Sachendi, married Kautuk Mishra, a jeweler from Pandu Nagar, on March 6, 2024.
Her family alleged that they gave a substantial dowry at the time of marriage, including a SUV, gold and silver ornaments. Despite this, the woman claimed that her in-laws demanded more dowry, including a house, one kilogram of gold and cash.
In her complaint, she alleged that she was repeatedly forced to participate in late-night occult rituals against her will, sometimes naked. The woman said that her husband and father-in-law forcibly undressed her to participate in such rituals.
She claimed that she was physically assaulted and mentally harassed whenever she resisted.
She accused her father-in-law of sexual misconduct, alleging that she was locked in a room with him and threatened with “tantra-mantra” if she refused to comply.
The complainant said she endured the alleged abuse for several months before returning to her parental home in January 2025 and narrated her ordeal to the family.
Based on her complaint, an FIR was registered on Sunday at the Women Police Station against her husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law and another relative.
She also alleged that her in-laws seized her jewelry.
Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal said the case was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges of cruelty, assault, sexual abuse, criminal breach of trust and criminal intimidation, along with sections of the Dowry Prohibition Act.
"The action will depend on the evidence, including a video reportedly submitted by the complainant," he said. Lal added that instructions have been issued to the in-charge inspector of the Women Police Station to probe the allegations and take appropriate action.