Suspecting evil spirits, in-laws brand woman

FATEHABAD: In yet another incident of crime against women, a married woman was tortured with hot iron and molten polythene by her in-laws, who accused her of being possessed by evil spirits. Injured and traumatised, the victim is recovering in a hospital after she was rescued by her stunned father.
A distraught Godhu Ram, a plumber who married his daughter Ritu, 25, to Hisar-based Subhash four years ago, had rushed to her rescue after receiving a frantic call on Thursday.In his complaint to police, he accused Subhash, his father Ram Kumar, mother Savitri, sister Asha and her husband Gobind of branding his daughter. All five have been booked in a criminal case.
In her statement to police, Ritu said, ���Subhash had recently asked me to get Rs 60,000 from my father as he wanted to buy land.��� When she didn���t, he began torturing her. Last Friday, he took her to Asha���s house in Gurna village of Punjab. ���I was subjected to inhuman treatment and told it was to get rid of evil spirits,��� she said.