Indian man kept wife locked in 'chastity belt' for four years

Driven by suspicion of infidelity a man put a 'chastity belt' on his wife for over four years by piercing her with crude knitting needles. The horrifying tale of harassment unfolded when doctors of MY Hospital in Indore interrogated the woman, who attempted suicide on Monday. The lock was surgically removed from the woman on Tuesday. Thirty five-year-old Shyama Bai (name changed) told that the lock was put by her husband, Sohanlal Chouhan, after forcing her to drink alcohol and rendering her unconscious around five years ago. "I tried to remove the lock the next day at a local hospital, but since the gynaecologist was male, I could not muster courage to approach him," added the mother of five children - three boys and two girls.

The woman told the interrogators that after putting the lock, Chouhan carried the keys with him when he went to work and removed it in the night. Chouhan, a labourer ,who is being questioned at the Sanyogitaganj police station, told that he took the step as he was fearful that his wife might entertain other men. "Three of my sisters and six of their (sisters') daughters have eloped," he said, trying to justify his move. Shyama Bai also alleged that Chouhan had also locked her up in a room at their house in Idris Nagar for the last five years.



Her eldest son, Nitin Chouhan, confirmed her status, claiming, "I have seen my mother after five years. She was always locked." Shyama Bai claimed that she attempted suicide by consuming poisonous substance after Chouhan made sexual advances at their 12-year-old daughter. A team of state commission for women, led by its chairperson Upama Rai, met the woman at the hospital and promised appropriate action against her husband. Shyama Bai has only one request to make to the commission and the police, "please don't free my husband…, he will kill us all."

Psychiatrists dubbed Chouhan as a paranoid person who is highly insecure about his wife. MGM Medical College psychiatry department head Dr Ramghulam Razdan said, "Chouhan seems to be mentally ill and requires treatment. Such acts can't be executed by a sane person, he claimed. The incident has irked social activists who have demanded immediate intervention by police and NGOs in resolving the situation. "The projection of women as commodity has developed a perception among some that a woman is just for deriving pleasure. Chouhan seems to have become extra possessive," social activist Tapan Bhattacharya said.