For nearly a year, her husband and in-laws locked her in a toilet, gave her little food, tortured her with iron rods and whips, and isolated her not only from her family but also from her newborn twins.
Sakshi’s plight came to light earlier this week when her father managed to reach her house in Bhawala Sainik Colony here and rescued her with the help of pradhan and panchayat representatives, police said.
Following a complaint filed by Sakshi’s father, Sanjeev Bahuguna, the Selakwi police lodged an FIR on Monday.
According to the complaint, Sakshi’s confinement began in July 2025, just months after she gave birth to twins in February. From the day they were born, her husband Rahul Khandodi and her husband’s parents took her children from her. She was even forbidden from touching or holding her infant children.
Her father told the police that Sakshi was locked up from 9am or 10am daily and kept locked up throughout the day and night. During these ten months, she starved to death and had only raw rice, onions, salt and green pepper to eat.
Bahuguna alleged that his daughter was beaten with iron pipes, rods, chairs and whips, leaving her with serious injuries all over her body. The accused also caused injuries to her genitals using a bottle and sticks, and her hair was repeatedly pulled out during the assaults.
The father claimed that the family was completely cut off from Sakshi for ten months, as the accused refused to allow them to meet her or speak to her on the phone. Whenever her parents called, her mother-in-law would mislead them by claiming that Sakshi was either sleeping or taking a bath.
According to the FIR, the situation came to light when her parents visited the house. They were initially denied entry by the husband’s family, who demanded another 15 days and told them that they were “destroying their daughter’s house.”
The parents then rescued Sakshi with the help and supervision of Bahawala village pradhan and panchayat members. Upon her release, Sakshi was extremely disoriented and unable to remember the day, month or year.
The police have booked Rahul Khandodi and his parents under Sections 115 (2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 127 (4) (wrongful confinement), 351 (2) (criminal intimidation), 352 (intentional insult with intent to cause breach of peace) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Investigating officer Shashi Rana said that a case was registered under relevant sections after the police received a complaint from the victim’s father.
The victim’s statement will be recorded and further action will be taken accordingly, the officer added.
