Madhya Pradesh: Woman alleges rape by in-laws under pretext of ritual for husband’s recovery

BHOPAL: A woman in Gwalior filed a complaint accusing two of her in-laws of repeatedly raping her over several months while her husband was away for medical treatment. Police registered an FIR on Sunday at the women’s police station and said arrests would follow soon.According to the FIR, she was raped repeatedly between January and May this year at a residence near a railway track in Dabra. The woman told police that her husband’s illness often required him to be away from home for long periods. Taking advantage of his absence, her two brothers-in-law allegedly entered her room at night and assaulted her several times. She further claimed that when she protested, she was threatened with harm to her infant child and misled into believing that “this would help her husband recover.”The woman said that when she informed her husband, he refused to believe her and physically assaulted her. She later returned to her maternal home. A community meeting was called to resolve the matter, but when no one from her in-laws’ side attended, she approached police accompanied by her family.Police have registered a case of gang rape and criminal intimidation against the two accused and have begun efforts to locate and arrest them.Authorities said the survivor is being provided support, and the investigation will proceed under the applicable sections of the Indian Penal Code.(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)