Woman accuses husband, in-laws of sexual harassment, cheating; two held

A 27-year-old woman has accused her husband and in-laws of subjecting her to years of physical, mental, and sexual harassment in Maharashtra and Bihar, with seven people booked and two arrested.

A 27-year-old woman has accused her husband and in-laws of subjecting her to years of physical, mental, and sexual harassment in Maharashtra and Bihar, police said on Wednesday.

The police have booked seven persons in connection with the case and arrested the woman's husband and his brother from the Ulhasnagar township in Thane district, an official said.

According to a police official, the alleged abuse took place between March 2019 and the present date across Ulhasnagar and Sultanpur in the Bhagalpur district of Bihar.

''As per the complaint lodged on May 17, the main accused befriended the victim by concealing his religious identity and using the fake name 'Vijay'. He subsequently married her in Bihard according to his family's customs,'' the official said.

Following the marriage, the woman was allegedly subjected to torture by her husband and his family members. She also alleged that her brothers-in-law subjected her to sexual harassment,'' the official added.

The woman told the Ulhasnagar police that she kept quiet all these years because the accused had threatened her with dire consequences, said an official.

A case was registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections concerning cruelty, sexual harassment, ''deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings'', and criminal intimidation.

The police have arrested the woman's husband and his brother. Further investigation into the matter is underway, the official added.